When we planned 2006 week, we figured it would come at a time when there wasn't much going on. Well, so it goes in college basketball, where the unexpected happens every day.
In a stunning move, the Dallas Mavericks hired Michigan head coach Dusty May on Monday. May is the first college head coach to take an NBA job since John Beilein left Michigan for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019. He joins Larry Brown as the only other coach to leave their team after winning the national championship. Assistant coach Mike Boynton was quickly promoted to interim head coach, and all signs point to him leading the Wolverines for the 2026-2027 season.
While the move came as a surprise, May laid out potential reasons for the jump in interviews in the lead-up to the news.
He also spoke to CBS Sports' Matt Norlander after winning the title and said:
"And I don't know if it's just me, but I'd heard where you climb the ladder and you say, 'Is this really it?' And it was worse. It was less than 'it.' The journey was so much better than the destination. The finality of it all is almost disappointing because you have one of the most special groups of humans you'll ever be around, and at that moment, it all ends."
Norlander asked May if he could see himself coaching at Michigan in three or four years, to which May replied:
"No," he admitted. "I can't see myself doing this for too much longer."
Michigan players will now have a 15-day window to enter the transfer portal. While there are no defections expected as of writing, plenty of teams still looking to fill out rosters will certainly make contact with players' representation.
We highly recommend reading CJ Moore's piece on the news.
The Missouri Valley Conference announced structural changes to Arch Madness, the league's conference tournament. Starting this season, both the men's and women's tournaments will be held in St. Louis and feature a 10-team format.
Under the new structure, the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds will advance directly to the semifinals, placing greater emphasis on the regular season. Several mid-major leagues have implemented a similar format in recent years to help protect their top teams. As Rocco Miller points out, though, it may not be the best move for this particular conference.
Missouri Valley fans didn't seem too thrilled with the changes, citing the "madness" as the tournament's major draw.
The NBA Draft kicks off tonight, with several college stars expected to get picked in the first round. All eyes are on the top, with AJ Dybansta and Darryn Peterson vying to be No. 1. How many Michigan men will go in the lottery, and will new Dallas Mavericks head coach Dusty May take any of them with the 9th pick? Which one-and-done will have the best chance to star on their new team?
We'll have a full recap from a college lens in tomorrow's newsletter.
More news and notes:
Virginia Tech is hiring FAU's Brian White as its next athletic director, according to a release from the school. White will succeed Whit Babcock, who is retiring this month.
The Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) is in talks with Fairfield about joining the league, according to a report from Pete Thamel. Fairfield is expected to leave the Metro (formerly MAAC) in the near future. The CAA is currently at 13 schools after losing Delaware to Conference USA last year.
The NCAA Division I Cabinet is expected to vote on the 5-in-5 eligibility proposal this week. The proposal is likely to pass, paving the way for a new era in college athletics. The NCAA does not intend to make this policy retroactive, but several graduating seniors are expected to file a lawsuit to get one more season of eligibility.
TCU hired Desmond Bane as its Chief Basketball Officer, according to a release.
Marshall is hiring Scott Padgett as an assistant coach.
New content at Basket Under Review
On a new episode of The Basket Under Review Podcast, Eamonn Brennan and Tate Frazier discuss Dusty May's move to the NBA, then throw it back to the 2005-2006 season.
Joey Dwyer highlights Mike Boynton's opportunity at redemption.
Upon Further Review
Brian Rauf
Joey Dwyer
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