About 48 hours ago, Michigan head coach Dusty May left Ann Arbor for a job with the Dallas Mavericks. Michigan State fans celebrated the news because he had gotten the Wolverines to the apex of the college basketball world, winning a national title in year two.
Now that he’s gone, the Wolverines may have a tough time staying near the top of college basketball and we can now avoid the inevitable post-game pressers after a Michigan State vs. Michigan game following an akward handshake between Tom Izzo and May.
Dusty isn’t done with the Spartans, however.
While he’s now coaching in the NBA and he’s moving on from college rivalries, Dusty is going to be coaching a Spartan next season with the Mavericks. Not only will he be coaching a former Michigan State star, but that Spartan will likely be a starter and he was named one of three “key players” for Dallas during the 2026 NBA Draft.
Max Christie is a key player👀 pic.twitter.com/tnjVBZzSMB
— Nevamiss (@NevaMiss24) June 24, 2026
Max Christie is entering his fifth year in the NBA and it’s a big one because he’s been hovering around relevance as a role player for the Mavericks and the Lakers, but it’s time he takes that next step.
Dusty has a chance to get that out of him.
Max Christie is still looking for his breakout
Max has averaged over 9.5 points in each of the past two seasons and he just put up a career-best 12.3 points per game in 2025-26. He also shot 40.4% from three which was the second-highest mark of his young career, but the most impressive given the volume (5.8 attempts per game).
Christie is just 23 years old and it looks like he’s coming into his own. Now he’s going to be coached by the man who Izzo didn’t seem to like and who led his rival to a national title.
The Mavericks also drafted one of the key players who helped lead Michigan to a national title in Morez Johnson with the No. 9 overall pick. Many thought that Aday Mara would go there, but Johnson was a better fit and the early projections have him starting at the four, Derek Lively II at the five, Cooper Flagg at the three, Christie at the two, and Kyrie Irving at the one.
With this entire lineup improving, I have a feeling that Max is about to have a big season with the new-look Mavericks.
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