Mavericks coach Dusty May entered the NBA with a reputation as an innovator and a tactician with the ability to develop talent at the college level.

It was never more apparent than at last month’s NBA draft, when three players from his national-champion Michigan team were selected as lottery picks: Morez Johnson Jr. (Dallas), Yaxel Lendeborg (Golden State) and Aday Mara (Oklahoma City).

Before he made his mark at Michigan, May helped transform mid-major Florida Atlantic into a Final Four team in 2023. The Owls also made the tournament in 2024 but lost in the first round before May left for Michigan. FAU subsequently produced its first two NBA draft picks in program history (Alijah Martin in 2025 and Baba Miller in 2026), a result of the national reputation May established.

Here’s a look at every player May coached in college who reached the NBA:

Burnett played two seasons under May at Michigan and went undrafted in 2026, but he inked an Exhibit-10 contract with the Toronto Raptors and joined the franchise for the Las Vegas Summer League. The 6-5 guard averaged 10.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steals in five games with the Raptors’ summer squad.

Donaldson played under May in his first year at Michigan before transferring to Miami for the 2025-26 season. The 6-3 guard was not drafted but signed a two-way contract with the Miami Heat this month. He played four games of summer league, averaging 16.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.8 steals and showing versatility on both ends of the floor.

Gayle, a 6-5 guard, played the last two seasons for the Wolverines under May. He joined the Detroit Pistons’ summer league team but played sparingly and averaged just 5.5 points and 2.3 rebounds in five games.

Goldin played five seasons for May in college, four at FAU before following him to Michigan for a final season. He spent his rookie year on a two-way contract with the Miami Heat, who offered him a two-way qualifying offer for this season after he averaged eight points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in Las Vegas.

Morez Johnson Jr.

Johnson hasn’t played an official NBA game, but he’s already shown a glimpse of what he’s capable of at the next level. The 6-9 big man had two impactful games in Las Vegas before he was sidelined for the rest of summer league with left calf soreness. The Mavericks’ No. 9 overall pick has the physical attributes and intangibles to become a productive rotation player on opening night. He needs to work on his consistency from 3-point range, but his impact on the defensive end should ensure he’s a Day 1  contributor.

Lendeborg’s predraft process was difficult to project given the initial concerns about his age, but the 24-year-old dominated during the Las Vegas Summer League. He earned MVP honors after leading the Warriors to the summer title, averaging 14.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals in six games. Given Golden State’s struggles last season and the early absence of Jimmy Butler, the versatile rookie should have plenty of opportunity to show his worth as the No. 11 overall pick.

May’s third and final lottery pick of last month’s draft was Mara at No. 12, who proved to be a dominant force at center en route to Michigan’s national title. Mara played in just three summer league games for the Thunder and averaged 8.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.0 block.

May’s first player to reach the NBA was Wolf, a 6-11 forward who played one season for him at Michigan. The Brooklyn Nets selected him with the 27th overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft. Wolf had a productive rookie season, averaging 8.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists. He averaged 11.8 points and 5.8 rebounds in four summer league games and is expected to receive an expanded role this season after Nic Claxton’s departure.