The future is bright for Michigan basketball with Dusty May at the helm

The 2024-2025 Michigan men’s basketball season was a historic one, exceeding all expectations in what many believed was going to be a transition year with a brand new head coach and a mostly new roster. The 2023-24 season saw the Wolverines close out with a rather disappointing record of 8-24, leaving them in dead last in Big Ten conference standings. The Wolverines made the decision to end head coach Juwan Howard’s contract, and bring in Florida Atlantic head coach, Dusty May, as his replacement.

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In his second to last season at FAU, Dusty May led his team to a historic Final Four appearance, the first in school history. When Michigan brought him on, Dusty May signed a five year contract and brought with him 11 players from the transfer portal, including playmakers Vladislav Goldin, Tre Donaldson, Danny Wolf, and Rubin Jones.

Dusty May Went All Out in Season One

Michigan fans certainly had high hopes for May’s first season at the helm, but there was wiggle room given how poorly the last season ended for the Wolverines. Where many had hoped Dusty May would simply achieve a winning record at the close of the season, he exceeded any and all of those hopes, leading his team to a Big Ten Tournament run resulting in a championship win, and the University’s sixth Sweet Sixteen appearance of the last decade.

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May closed out his inaugural season in the Maize and Blue with a record of 27-10, more than tripling the wins of last season. While the loss to Auburn was certainly bitter, it was a sweet ending to a truly pivotal season. The May era has only just begun, and with Donaldson, Roddy Gayle Jr., LJ Cason, and Will Tschetter all returning next year, it’s safe to say that the future of Michigan basketball is truly brighter than ever.

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