Dusty May hasn’t even coached an NBA game yet, and he’s already comparing Kyrie Irving to one of the most celebrated artists in history. That’s not hyperbole. That’s what he actually said.
May, who just took over the Dallas Mavericks job after leading Michigan to a national title in 2026, was on ESPN during Summer League when he talked about watching Irving go through a workout earlier that morning.
“I felt like I left the gym watching Picasso paint a picture,” May said.
That’s the kind of quote that gets remembered. And for a first-time NBA head coach taking over a team that went 26-56 last season, it’s also the kind of quote that sets expectations. High ones.
What May Sees in Irving
Irving hasn’t played a game since February 2025. He tore his ACL that month, missed the rest of that season and sat out all of 2025-26. Before the injury, he was putting up 24.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, shooting 47.3% from the field and 40.1% from three. He also shot 91.6% from the free-throw line. Those are elite numbers by any measure.
May inherits a roster that still has Klay Thompson and Cooper Flagg, the young forward who’s already being talked about as the future face of the franchise. But Irving is the wild card. If he’s healthy and operating at that level, the Mavericks suddenly look a lot more interesting than a 26-win team.
May himself comes in with serious credentials. He spent six years at Florida Atlantic, where he took the Owls to the Final Four in 2023, then moved to Michigan for two seasons and won a national championship. His college record: 126-69 with the Owls and 64-13 with the Wolverines. That’s 190 wins in eight years. The guy can coach.
But the NBA is a different animal. The schedule is longer. The players are older. The margin for error is smaller. And the pressure? That starts now.
May replaced Jason Kidd, who was fired after five seasons and two playoff appearances. The Mavericks made the playoffs in 2022 and 2024 but never got past the second round. Then came the 26-win season, the Irving injury, and the decision to clean house.
Now it’s May’s show. He’s got Irving back. He’s got Flagg. He’s got Thompson. And he’s got that image of Picasso in his head every time he watches his star guard dribble.
Whether that turns into wins? We’ll find out soon enough.
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