​Michigan basketball has managed to keep the core of its roster intact after Dusty May departed for the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, but the coaching staff story took a different turn. Drew Williamson, who has served as an assistant coach and Michigan’s director of player development for the last two seasons, has left the program, according to a spokesperson for the school. As of Thursday, Williamson still appeared on Michigan’s coaching staff listings on the program’s website, yet it seems he has joined May’s Mavericks staff. A video circulating on social media before Dallas’ first NBA Summer League game in Las Vegas showed Williamson in Mavericks attire, delivering passes to former Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr., who Dallas selected with the No. 9 overall pick, during pregame warmups.
Williamson, who has spent the past five years working with May, first at Florida Atlantic (2021–2024) and then at Michigan, leaves Michigan’s staff alongside May and former assistant coach Justin Joyner, who accepted the head coaching job at Oregon State. Williamson’s departure marks the third exit from Michigan’s national championship coaching circle this offseason. The News obtained contract details via a Freedom of Information Act request, showing Williamson was slated for a six-figure raise this season, with a base salary of $347,500 at Michigan. The previous season’s salary stood at $247,500. He had signed a new one-year agreement on April 28, roughly two months before May’s transition to the NBA. The employment agreement notes that Williamson could terminate the arrangement before the contract’s expiration on April 30, 2027 “by giving the university reasonable advance written notice,” and that all compensation would “cease immediately upon termination.”
Williamson’s exit leaves interim head coach Mike Boynton Jr. with two vacancies to fill, and it remains uncertain whether additional Michigan staffers will follow May to the NBA. Michigan initially appeared poised to replace Joyner with Mody Maor, an international coach who has held head roles in the Japanese B.League and Australia’s National Basketball League. Maor’s name has surfaced in university materials as an assistant coach, but his addition has never been formally announced by the program, and no contract has been signed. The News has repeatedly requested documents via FOIA, yet no contract or formal commitment has been provided to date.
The program’s current situation leaves Michigan with at least one open staff slot, and it’s unclear if more changes will follow as the program navigates the ongoing transition from May’s departure. Subtle shifts in staffing underscore how the Lions’ new era continues to unfold, even as the court remains the shared focal point for fans and players who hope for continued success.