Jason Burgos
Rumors swirled over the last few weeks that the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks had eyes for Michigan head coach Dusty May. However, coming off winning the program’s first basketball championship in 37 years, it seemed unlikely the coach would make the jump when he is a king at a top college sports school. Well, Wolverines fans got terrible news on Monday when ESPN broke the news that May is finalizing a deal to be Dallas’ new head coach.
Soon after the reveal, Michigan announced that assistant coach Mike Boynton Jr. will serve as their interim coach. However, the school could still look to bring in a proven coach to take over a roster with the potential to repeat in 2026-27. With all of that in mind, let’s look at potential long-term replacement options for Michigan after May’s stunning departure.
Mike Boynton Jr., Michigan Interim Coach
Boynton taking over as interim head coach makes sense. He is a top assistant for the program and can maintain ongoing player development and recruiting plans. Furthermore, he can use his strong connections with the roster to keep players from departing in the portal — which they are allowed to do — following May’s exit. He has head coaching experience after a solid run at Oklahoma State and could get a chance to prove he is deserving of getting the full-time job.
Billy Donovan, Former Chicago Bulls Head Coach
A name that is sure to come up in rumors about Michigan’s head coach position is former Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan. He has had a solid career as an NBA head coach. However, his greatest success came in turning Florida into a college basketball powerhouse and winning a pair of national championships. He has been linked to college openings in the past. But after failing to get a new NBA job over the last month, maybe now is the time for him to return to the college ranks. And Michigan is a school that has the name value to pull him back.
T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State Head Coach
TJ Otzelberger’s stock around the college ranks has reached new heights during an outstanding run as the head coach at Iowa State. He has 22 or more games in all but one of his five seasons in Ames, including a pair of 29-win years (2023-24 and 2025-26), because he’s shown the ability to recruit and develop talent and turned the Cyclones into a top program in the Big 12.
If Michigan administrators search for a new head coach in the next few weeks, Otzelberger will be on their candidate list.
Jeff Van Gundy, Los Angeles Clippers Assistant
An intriguing name to keep an eye on is former New York Knicks and Houston Rockets head coach Jeff Van Gundy. After being ousted from his job at ESPN a few years ago, he has returned to the NBA in different roles. Most recently, he has become a well-liked part of the Los Angeles Clippers coaching staff. His performance there earned him head coach interviews this month. However, he remains available.
The stresses of the NBA always bothered Van Gundy. But perhaps having greater say and control at a university would intrigue him. Furthermore, maybe he brings another great coach along with him in his brother, Stan Van Gundy. While he would be a long shot, few expected Mike Malone to end up in North Carolina after a memorable stint with the Denver Nuggets.
Chris Gerlufsen, San Francisco Head Coach
One last name that could and should be on Michigan’s candidate list is San Francisco head coach Chris Gerlufsen. Most assumed the WCC schools’ rise was due to the brilliance of former head coach Todd Golden. However, after he left for Florida, Gerlufsen has maintained the standard left by Golden and is a name being monitored by many athletic directors and college general managers around the country.
In four seasons, he has posted an impressive 85-51 record at San Francisco and could easily be just as successful as May with Michigan’s immense resources.
