Podcast Summary: Eye On College Basketball – Interview with Dusty May (March 12, 2026)

Main Theme:
In this bonus episode, Matt Norlander of CBS Sports interviews Michigan head coach Dusty May, diving deep into Michigan’s powerhouse season, behind-the-scenes of a new docuseries, roster building in today’s climate, the Michigan State rivalry, and what May misses from his FAU days. The conversation offers honest, inside access to what it takes to build and sustain an elite program in the current college basketball landscape.

Episode Structure & Key Topics

1. Inside the Upcoming Docuseries (“Made for March”)

[02:32–09:26]

• Dusty May's Involvement & Reaction:

  • Chose to participate due to confidence in Religion of Sports’ quality and felt it would be good for Michigan’s culture, recruiting, and storytelling.
  • Admits the adjustment to constant cameras was tough, but the professionalism of the crew made it easier.
  • “It was a tough adjustment at first... just being miked up and having cameras around all the time was an adjustment.” (Dusty May, 04:57)

• Expectations for the Series:

  • Emphasizes the personalities and humanity of Michigan’s players.
  • Teases unseen aspects and moments, like a touching story featuring player Yaxel and his mother.
  • “Our guys… have such good dudes in our locker room… it shows their personalities, it shows what big hearts they have.” (Dusty May, 08:47)
  • “I think you see the joy and the excitement that they can still come with, with playing ball.” (Dusty May, 09:08)

• Notable Fact: Documentary follows both Michigan and Kansas through their seasons, giving viewers parallel inside looks.

2. Michigan’s Season, Roster Philosophy, & Standout Players

[09:26–22:58]

• Yaxel – Star Player & College Basketball’s Unselfish Leader

  • Discussion of Yaxel’s NBA draft deliberations and eventual return.
  • May recounts a story about Yaxel refusing to pad stats:
    “Our guys are trying to get him to 30, and he’s… I don’t care. …just let’s get the ball to Oscar, get the ball to one of these young guys. How many players would do that as their teammates are urging them to shoot more?” (Dusty May, 11:32)

• Impact of Injuries & Depth Management

  • Plans to redshirt LJ due to injury, drawing parallels with past strategies at FAU.
  • May emphasizes the luxury of Michigan’s depth:
    “You have the deepest, most reliable roster in the country… I genuinely believe that.” (Matt Norlander, 16:41)

• Roster Building Approach:

  • May credits both careful decision-making and luck.
  • Brutal honesty in recruitment conversations:
    “We’re brutally honest. Even at times this year where we’ve had agents say, ‘Hey, you probably shouldn’t say that to them.’ Our response: ‘No, we have to coach them when they’re here.’” (Dusty May, 17:43)
  • Looks for unselfish players willing to share the spotlight:
    “If you want to be the guy, don’t come here… we’re pretty stubborn, a team that shares the ball.” (Dusty May, 18:28)

• Mahrez Johnson’s Development:

  • Praises Mahrez for rapid improvement and team-first mentality.
  • “He’s such a great teammate and he’s… such a machine every single day.” (Dusty May, 19:42)
  • Funny note: Mahrez takes everything literally, so May can’t really joke with him! (21:08)

3. Culture, Team Rituals, & May’s Evolution as a Coach

[21:11–27:27]

• Michigan’s Viral Postgame Interviews/Bit:

  • Originated by accident, with Mahrez staring down the camera; now, the team leans into it for fun.
  • May tried to imitate Mahrez’s “mean mug.”
    “I was just trying to look like my mean mug had a little bit of bite… It’s hard for me to keep a straight face ever.” (Dusty May, 22:44)

• Personal Reflection:

  • May stays grounded, says being Michigan’s third assistant would have fulfilled all his dreams as a college grad.
  • “If you had told me that I was the third assistant of Michigan right now, I would say I've achieved my goals in life.” (Dusty May, 23:34)

• On Winning Big at Michigan:

  • Stresses constant focus on improvement, with little time to reflect during the season.
  • “That’s why I think these documentaries… are going to be cool, because they’re going to allow us to enjoy this later on because you really can’t enjoy it now.” (Dusty May, 24:57)

• Simple Celebrations:

  • Celebrated the regular season title with seniors, family, and a golf simulator at a flat in Ann Arbor.

4. Comparing Michigan & FAU, Navigating College Basketball (Past & Present)

[27:27–31:09]

• What May Misses About FAU:

  • The “innocence” and basketball focus at a lower-profile program.
  • “Now, I don’t have time to go on the court now for two or three hours… just because of the media demands and the demands outside of just coaching.” (Dusty May, 27:27)
  • Still tries to enjoy Michigan’s beautiful summers when possible.

• How College Basketball Could Improve:

  • Calls for real, modern leadership—forward-thinking, not stuck in the past.
  • Notes disparity among programs and emphasizes need to keep players included in future changes.
  • “We’ve got to find some form of leadership over college basketball… at the end of the day, [some schools] generated $300 million in revenue. …There just has to be a long term plan as opposed to just continuing to pivot with, just facing the latest obstacle.” (Dusty May, 29:20)

5. Transfer Portal, College Basketball’s Changing Landscape

[31:09–34:24]

• Thoughts on Transfer Portal Timelines:

  • Recognizes it's problematic but finds ways to stay positive, highlighting that the portal’s existence helped Michigan build its roster quickly.
  • Acknowledges reality: tampering happens; agents play a big role.
    “The portal’s never closed… you’d probably have to tap their agents’ phones to know” (Dusty May, 32:06)
  • Expresses preference for earlier portal opening to help struggling teams get a head start.

• Team Culture Rules:

  • May's program has very few rules, but two core tenets are:
    “No complaining, no excuses, no whispering.” (Dusty May, 34:13)

6. The Michigan–Michigan State Rivalry & Roster Construction Narratives

[34:24–37:44]

• On Michigan State:

  • Respect for the rival’s sustained success:
    “It’s a standard that I don’t think anyone will be able to live up to… There’s no love lost whatsoever.” (Dusty May, 34:53)
  • Cites video prep using MSU’s transition offense as a teaching point for Michigan’s own growth.

• Portal vs. High School Recruiting:

  • Challenges the narrative Michigan only uses the portal while MSU sticks to high school.
  • Calls for more accurate reporting of NIL spending.
    “I’m ready for the IRS to come in and open up the books and show what people spent versus what the spin zone has said they spent.” (Dusty May, 37:30)

7. Comparing Final Four Paths – FAU vs. Michigan

[37:58–40:00]

• What’s Harder – Michigan or FAU?:

  • FAU run was hard due to less talent, but Michigan comes with higher expectations and “fear of not living up.”
  • “Everyone’s job is hard, it’s just hard in different ways.” (Dusty May, 39:01)

• Closing on the Docuseries:

  • May’s excited for both the Michigan and Kansas features.
  • Norlander and May agree: allowing inside access is a legacy gift for teams and fans.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If you want to be the guy, don’t come here… we’re pretty stubborn, a team that shares the ball.”
  — Dusty May (18:28)

• “No complaining, no excuses, no whispering.”
  — Dusty May (34:13)

• On Yaxel’s stats: “He won’t shoot it. And he’s like, I don’t care.”
  — Dusty May (11:32)

• “We’re brutally honest… We have to coach them when they’re here.”
  — Dusty May (17:43)

• “It’s a healthy rivalry. There’s no love lost whatsoever.”
  — Dusty May on Michigan State (34:53)

• “I miss the innocence of that level, of the ball being so much more of what we do on a daily basis now.”
  — Dusty May on FAU (27:27)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------|:--------------:| | Opening & Docuseries Overview | 02:32–09:26 | | Player Stories & Roster Building | 09:26–22:58 | | Team Culture & Coaching Growth | 21:11–27:27 | | Comparing Michigan & FAU | 27:27–31:09 | | Transfer Portal & CBB Landscape| 31:09–34:24 | | Michigan State Rivalry & NIL | 34:24–37:44 | | Final Four Comparison, Closing | 37:58–end |

Overall Episode Tone

• Insightful, candid, and occasionally light-hearted
• May is open about the challenges and joys of leading a powerhouse, with pragmatic optimism about college basketball’s future
• Norlander prompts both reflection and energetic, in-the-moment commentary

Recommended for:
College basketball fans seeking insider access, coaches aiming to learn roster management, and anyone interested in the evolving NCAA landscape.