'Physicality': Dusty May unveils Mavericks' roster plan to win with Cooper Flagg
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'Physicality': Dusty May unveils Mavericks' roster plan to win with Cooper Flagg originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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The Dallas Mavericks are now set to start their upward trajectory in terms of competing for an NBA championship. Coach Dusty May unveiled that he has wanted to have Cooper Flagg in his rotation as early as when he coached the FAU Owls. Since he got the opportunity already after leaving the Michigan Wolverines, he immediately unveiled how he plans to construct their roster, the players they are chasing, and the brand of basketball they aim to play.
Coach May wants Mavericks and Flagg to focus on physicality to win NBA championship
Coach Dusty May is known for instructing his players to play hard-nosed basketball. This is how he found success with the FAU Owls and won the national championship for the Michigan Wolverines. He does not plan to change any of that while entering a new era with the Mavericks. The new head coach outlined the brand of basketball that he hopes to instill on Cooper Flagg as they ascent into championship contenders of the future.
A key player in his Michigan Wolverines roster is also the key to this - Morez Johnson, via Christian Clark of The Athletic.
“As a staff, we would … say, ‘We have ‘Rez, and they don’t. Meaning that we were going to play harder and with more physicality than anyone we were going to play against. A regular-season shootout, a knockdown slugfest or a playoff slugfest. With that, you need lineup versatility. You need a deep roster. And you need guys who really care about playing off each other.," Coach May said.
The Mavericks had a hard time maintaining this time of physicality when Coach Jason Kidd was still the one who ran their schemes and rotations. They had a defensive rating of 116.5 which was good for 20th in the NBA. Moreover, Flagg and Co. had a difficult time finishing plays through rough defenses as evidenced by their 111.2 offensive rating (27th in the NBA) coupled with a 101.7 pace (4th in the NBA).
It is no secret that Flagg is a scoring machine, just look at his 51-point outburst against the Orlando Magic on April 3, 2026. But, he needs Coach May's developmental help and hard-nosed culture to raise his averages of 21 points on a 46.8% field goal percentage. With Johnson helping and carrying over the Michigan Wolverines culture, the Mavericks seem to be in good hands.