Dusty May barely needed 24 hours to establish Mavericks’ new identity

The Dallas Mavericks shocked the masses when they hired Dusty May as their new head coach. The former Michigan Wolverines sideline general had just led the program to the National Championship and seemed secure in his position. Instead, he made the jump to Dallas—and we already know what he plans to do.

Roughly 24 hours after he was hired, May revealed his master plan as Dallas drafted Morez Johnson Jr. at No. 9 overall to complete the formation of a potentially elite defensive frontcourt.

Johnson spent his sophomore season playing for May with the Wolverines. Together, they helped Michigan win an elusive National Championship. Johnson has now become one of three players from that team who were drafted in the lottery range in 2026.

The reason Dallas ultimately went with Johnson over his teammates, however, appears rather clear: He's a perfect fit to play alongside Flagg and Lively.

Johnson is an athletic big who can cover ground like a wing, block shots, and crash the offensive glass. He's also an improving shooter and a lethal pick-and-roll option who should provide two-way value that brings the Mavericks' frontcourt trio together.

For a Dallas team that needs shooting and a defensive identity to define its future, May certainly seemed to clarify how they intend to play just a day into his tenure.

Morez Johnson Jr. gives Mavericks potentially elite defensive frontcourt

Dallas finished the 2025-26 season ranked No. 19 in defensive rating and No. 21 in opponent field goal percentage. More importantly, it finished an injury-plagued campaign ranked dead last in points allowed in the paint at an egregious 56.2 per game.

It was the second consecutive season that the Mavericks ranked No. 29 or worse in points allowed in the paint—and a third straight at No. 20 or lower.

Injuries have played a factor, but at some point, Dallas was going to need to commit to a vision that fixed their defensive woes one way or another. That's exactly what they've done with Johnson, who ranks among the most compelling defensive players in this class.

With a 7'3.5" wingspan, a 39.0" vertical, and wing-like agility, Johnson has the tools to fix that fatal flaw—and Flagg and Lively are perfect candidates to work with him.

Flagg is a captivating defensive prospect with the size, length, and athleticism to defend both forward positions and even switch against guards. Lively has been heralded as an elite defensive prospect when healthy, with results that support the hype.

With Johnson now stepping in as a 34.3 percent three-point shooter, the Mavericks can fix their defense and address their ranking of No. 26 in three-point field goal percentage.

Dallas can thank May for the clarity after his former player ended up with his new team.

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