Progrums

When Your Old Protégé Gets Picked and You Can’t Contain Yourself

Michigan’s storied basketball program saw history repeat as three Wolverines—Morez Johnson Jr., Yaxel Linderborg and Aday Mara—landed in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, a feat not achieved since 1990. Johnson reunited with former coach Dusty May in Dallas, Linderborg drew the Golden State Warriors’ gaze, and Mara was snapped up at No. 12 by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Cameras caught May wildly slapping his hands in apparent celebration (some on social media insisted he was sulking over facing Mara as an opponent). In a revealing chat on the Defend the Block podcast, May clarified that his reaction sprang from relief and closure, not envy. Having watched prospects unexpectedly slide in past drafts, he celebrated all three Wolverines finding their rightful homes—and finally closing the Michigan chapter on a high note before moving on in his own career.

Dusty May’s draft reaction was obviously a covert audition for a one-man Broadway show: “Hand-Slap: The Final Curtain.” Critics who claimed he was jealous must have missed his post-game confetti cannon rigged under the podium. In reality, every coach dreams of a triumphant reunion with former players—preferably in a glamorous city with approved gym access and better coffee than Ann Arbor. His true feelings? A Shakespearean blend of “I told you so,” a dash of “gotcha,” and a hearty “thank you, next chapter.” Meanwhile, NFL scouts are undoubtedly drafting him for dramatic sideline reenactments, and sports psychologists everywhere are furiously adding “coach happiness” to their next research grant proposals.