Dusty May contract: Details emerge on salary, buyout after new deal, per report

Details of Dusty May’s new contract at Michigan have been revealed. The Detroit News’ James Hawkins reported he received a salary increase as part of a new deal announced in February.

May’s salary increased from $3.825 million to $5.1 million, according to The Detroit News. He will receive $4.6 million in base pay this season, and that figure will increase by $250,000 every year until it reaches $5.6 million in the fifth year.

Additionally, May’s buyout starts at $7 million and drops each year. It falls to $5 million in 2026-27 and $3 million in 2027-28, $2 million in 2028-29 and $1 million in 2029-30. If Michigan fires May without cause, the school will owe him the rest of his base salary.

All told, May’s contract is worth $25.5 million, though there are also bonuses. If Michigan wins the outright Big Ten regular season title, May will receive $50,000. He can also get $25,000 for a share of the league title, $50,000 for winning the conference tournament, $50,000 for winning Big Ten Coach of the Year and $50,000 for winning national coach of the year.

Michigan announced May’s new contract in February amid an impressive debut season in Ann Arbor. The deal is a fresh deal, but effectively adds another year. May’s initial contract paid him $3.75 million annually over five years.

Dusty May put together a strong first year as head coach after arriving from Florida Atlantic. Michigan went 27-10 overall and 14-6 in Big Ten play before winning the conference tournament. UM then advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament, falling to Auburn in Atlanta.

Throughout the season, though, rumors swirled about whether Indiana – May’s alma mater – could make a run at his services after Mike Woodson announced his plans to retire. However, he made it clear he didn’t have plans to leave Michigan, and UM athletics director Warde Manuel said the new contract was not because of perceived interest from Indiana.

“I actually told Dusty when I sat and talked to him about a week ago, I said, ‘First of all, it’s been a great season. I’m proud of you. You’ve accomplished far more than I ever thought you would at this point in your tenure here,’” Manuel told reporters Friday. “But what made me mad is we started to talk about this before they went to Indiana and all that started. I want to assure you all that this has nothing to do with a reaction to that.

“This has to do with a decision, talking to President [Santa] Ono, and talking through this with my basketball administrator Doug Gnodtke, that this is what we wanted to do. It’s a great day, but I want to assure people this has nothing to do with that.”