Dallas built one of its tallest rosters in recent memory and the construction closely mirrors the formula Dusty May used during his rise through college basketball.
After an offseason of reshaping the roster, the Mavericks have come together as exactly the kind of team new head coach Dusty May has built his best teams around. Dallas carries an average height of roughly 6-foot-7, and if May's track record is any indication, that length will be a feature of his system.
May's rise began at Florida Atlantic, where size still played a role, even if the roster was smaller. His 2022-23 team, which reached the Final Four, averaged roughly 6-foot-5. The 2023-24 FAU team averaged about 6-foot-5 as well. Those teams won with guard play, chemistry and toughness more than overwhelming length, showing May adapted his system to the personnel available.
When he arrived at Michigan and gained access to bigger, more athletic talent, the blueprint shifted. His 2024-25 Wolverines averaged roughly 6-foot-6 and featured seven players listed at 6-foot-6 or taller. Michigan controlled the glass, defended with length and returned to national prominence.
Then came the national championship season. May's 2025-26 Michigan team again averaged roughly 6-foot-6 but featured eight players listed at 6-foot-6 or taller. The frontcourt became the foundation of the roster. Spanish center Aday Mara, Big Ten Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg and current Mavericks rookie Morez Johnson Jr. all stood at least 6-foot-9. All three reached the NBA, and May built a championship by maximizing their size, versatility and defensive impact.
Now he arrives in Dallas with a roster built for a similar approach. The Mavericks have size throughout the frontcourt, and May has consistently shown he prefers length over smaller lineups whenever the roster allows it. Dallas gives him more frontcourt depth than he had at any previous stop.
The Mavericks also have the pieces to build their own version of the frontcourt that powered Michigan's title run. A lineup featuring Cooper Flagg, Morez Johnson Jr. and Dereck Lively II would give Dallas three long, mobile defenders capable of protecting the rim, switching across positions and controlling the glass. Those are the traits that defined May's best teams.
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At roughly 6-foot-7 on average, this Mavericks roster stands taller than any team May coached at Florida Atlantic and closely matches the size of his Michigan championship roster. The personnel already fits the identity he has established throughout his coaching career.
There will be rotations to sort through, and not every frontcourt player will share the floor. Even so, May has built his reputation by maximizing size and depth. Dallas has given him both. Now comes the opportunity to do it again.
