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To succeed as a college basketball coach, you have to be persuasive.
Finding unique ways to convince recruits to commit is a massive part of the job — and Dusty May did it well enough to win a national championship just two years into his tenure at Michigan.
Now tabbed to lead Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks into the future, May isn't recruiting five-star prospects anymore ... he's recruiting people.
On Saturday, May successfully convinced 16-year NBA veteran Garrett Temple to retire and join his staff in Dallas, per Marc Stein of The Stein Line. Temple joins ex-Pelicans head coach Willie Green and the Mavs' summer league head coach Joe Boylan — who May pried away from Taylor Jenkins and the Milwaukee Bucks — on the sidelines.
Temple, 40, carved out a 16-year NBA career with 12 franchises after going undrafted in 2009. Near the end of his career, Temple stuck around as a mentor and veteran in several locker rooms and had been a member of the Toronto Raptors since 2023.
READ MORE:Mavs Coach Dusty May Aims for 'Competitive,' Fast-Paced Identity in Dallas
The player-to-coach pipeline ... while surprising in this instance ... isn't anything the league hasn't seen before.
May's predecessor, Jason Kidd, retired following the 2012-13 season and was hired as the Brooklyn Nets' head coach less than two weeks later despite having no prior coaching experience.
Jacque Vaughn also made a seamless transition into coaching. After retiring in 2009, he joined Gregg Popovich's staff with the San Antonio Spurs a year later before eventually becoming a head coach for the Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets.
So, on the surface, this isn't new. While the transition isn't an everyday occurrence, Temple certainly won't be the first veteran to swap a jersey for a whistle.
What's special about Dallas' case with Temple is the man who made it happen — and how quickly he was able to do so.
May has built his coaching career on earning people's trust. Whether it was convincing overlooked recruits to buy into his vision at Florida Atlantic, persuading elite talent to follow him to Michigan or assembling an experienced NBA coaching staff in Dallas, relationship-building has consistently been one of his greatest strengths.
READ MORE:Two Mavs Rookies Sign; What's Sergio de Larrea's $16 Million Contract Mean?
Temple's decision to walk away from a 16-year playing career and immediately join May's bench is simply the latest reminder that the qualities which made May one of college basketball's top recruiters can translate just as effectively in the NBA.
And if you're a Mavs fan, it's another reason to be optimistic about the culture Dusty May is already building in Dallas, just days into his tenure.
Continue reading...
Finding unique ways to convince recruits to commit is a massive part of the job — and Dusty May did it well enough to win a national championship just two years into his tenure at Michigan.
Now tabbed to lead Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks into the future, May isn't recruiting five-star prospects anymore ... he's recruiting people.
On Saturday, May successfully convinced 16-year NBA veteran Garrett Temple to retire and join his staff in Dallas, per Marc Stein of The Stein Line. Temple joins ex-Pelicans head coach Willie Green and the Mavs' summer league head coach Joe Boylan — who May pried away from Taylor Jenkins and the Milwaukee Bucks — on the sidelines.
Temple, 40, carved out a 16-year NBA career with 12 franchises after going undrafted in 2009. Near the end of his career, Temple stuck around as a mentor and veteran in several locker rooms and had been a member of the Toronto Raptors since 2023.
READ MORE:Mavs Coach Dusty May Aims for 'Competitive,' Fast-Paced Identity in Dallas
The player-to-coach pipeline ... while surprising in this instance ... isn't anything the league hasn't seen before.
May's predecessor, Jason Kidd, retired following the 2012-13 season and was hired as the Brooklyn Nets' head coach less than two weeks later despite having no prior coaching experience.
Jacque Vaughn also made a seamless transition into coaching. After retiring in 2009, he joined Gregg Popovich's staff with the San Antonio Spurs a year later before eventually becoming a head coach for the Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets.
So, on the surface, this isn't new. While the transition isn't an everyday occurrence, Temple certainly won't be the first veteran to swap a jersey for a whistle.
What's special about Dallas' case with Temple is the man who made it happen — and how quickly he was able to do so.
May has built his coaching career on earning people's trust. Whether it was convincing overlooked recruits to buy into his vision at Florida Atlantic, persuading elite talent to follow him to Michigan or assembling an experienced NBA coaching staff in Dallas, relationship-building has consistently been one of his greatest strengths.
READ MORE:Two Mavs Rookies Sign; What's Sergio de Larrea's $16 Million Contract Mean?
Temple's decision to walk away from a 16-year playing career and immediately join May's bench is simply the latest reminder that the qualities which made May one of college basketball's top recruiters can translate just as effectively in the NBA.
And if you're a Mavs fan, it's another reason to be optimistic about the culture Dusty May is already building in Dallas, just days into his tenure.
Continue reading...
