Dallas' new head coach said he's expecting to turn to Kyrie Irving as the former Michigan Man figures out life in the NBA.
The Dallas Mavericks officially introduced Dusty May as the franchise's next head coach on Monday, June 29. President of basketball operations Masai Ujiri lured one of college basketball's biggest names to the NBA, but now May is tasked with navigating the professional industry for the first time.
In that transition, he explained that he'll be getting consults from various people in the building, including a valuable voice from on the court.
"I did speak to Kyrie last week. How do you earn his trust? By being yourself and working like crazy for him every single day."
Irving, the Mavericks' nine-time All-Star point guard who is returning from missing the entire last season due to injury, will be a critical factor in May's early success at this level.
"Kyrie knows what it takes to win an NBA championship," May said. "As a first-time NBA coach I’m going to lean on him in a lot of areas. Someone as intelligent as he is, is going to bring a lot to the table for all of us.
"He’s one of the greatest point guards to ever play the game. I can’t wait to be around him every day and help him on his journey."
May's help doesn't stop there. Numerous reports say that Dallas is targeting assistant coaches, and even former head coaches, from around the league to fill out the bench.
Though there have been no confirmed hires or discussions, May said there will certainly be a contingent of experienced college coaches in the running to make the NBA jump with him.
"Yes, yes, yes, yes. There’s going to be a little bit of a college flavor, there’s certainly going to be NBA experience. There’s going to be some retention," May said.
"We’re going to be very intentional and thorough and make sure everybody fits well together, and we all have the same value system."
May, 49, is the first college coach to take an NBA job since Michigan's John Beilein was hired by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019.
The Michigan Wolverines went 64-13 over the last two seasons with May on the sideline. The program produced several NBA Draft prospects in this year's class, including first-rounders Yaxel Lendeborg (Golden State), Aday Mara (Oklahoma City), and Morez Johnson Jr., who joins his college coach in Dallas.
Ujiri says that May himself has begun to demonstrate some of those values that will dictate the assistants that fill out his staff.
"That’s one thing with coach Dusty is how collaborative he is," Ujiri said. "Honestly, it’s the people he wants to bring in. He asks questions and we give him the best advice we can.
"But he’s done this at the highest level, bringing in people you trust, hard workers. In the NBA, there’s some differences. He’s about winning and he’s about work and accountability and leadership and how he teaches the game. Everybody he puts around him is going to be supported by us."
