USC Trojans Big Ten Standing After Dusty May's NBA Departure
Shockwaves were sent across the college basketball world on Monday morning as Michigan Wolverines men's basketball coach and national champion Dusty May is set to leave Ann Arbor after two seasons to join the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA.
With his move to the Mavericks, the national champion Wolverines could potentially take a step back next season, opening the door for several other top Big Ten teams, including the USC Trojans. As May's replacement, Michigan is working to hire Mike Boynton Jr. as its interim coach, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel.
Following May's departure, Michigan's players have a 15-day transfer period to decide their future with the Wolverines.
How Dusty May's Departure Impacts USC Trojans Next Season
Michigan losing key players during that 15-day window could benefit the Trojans and help them improve their Big Ten standing. Despite the frustrating end to last year, there is optimism for the Trojans to be among the group of underrated teams in the conference for the 2026-27 college basketball season. With May gone, USC could even be higher in the standings than expected.
Last season, the Trojans got off to a strong start at 12-1 heading into conference play, before injuries to their backcourt and inconsistent performances caused USC to miss the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season and second straight under Musselman. USC finished with an 18-14 overall record and went 7-13 in Big Ten play.
The return of star guards Rodney Rice and Alijah Arenas, along with the arrival of coach Eric Musselman's best recruiting class with the Trojans and several notable transfer portal commits, has USC fans optimistic going into its third season under Musselman.
On the recruiting side, USC brings in three McDonald's All-Americans, including five-star forward Christian Collins, along with four-star forward Adonis Ratliff and center Darius Ratliff. Key depth pieces also arrive from the transfer portal, including former Georgetown guard KJ Lewis, UConn center Eric Reibe, and Colgate guard Jalen Cox.
USC's 2026 recruiting class is ranked No. 9 overall, per 247Sports and fifth in the Big Ten behind the Michigan Wolverines (No. 4), Michigan State Spartans (No. 5), Illinois Fighting Illini (No. 6), and Purdue Boilermakers (No. 8).
How USC Stacks Up Against Other Top Big Ten Contenders
With the departure of May, other top teams look to dethrone the Wolverines from their throne as Big Ten regular-season and tournament champions, including the Michigan State Spartans, Illinois Fighting Illini, Purdue Boilermakers, and the UCLA Bruins.
The Trojans lost to all four of these teams last season and look for a better showing against them, especially their arch-rival, UCLA, which Musselman has yet to beat during his coaching tenure with the Trojans.
The Trojans will also face a Dusty May-less Wolverines at the Galen Center next season. Since joining the Big Ten, the Trojans have gone 0-2 against the Wolverines, which included a brutal 96-66 loss to Michigan at the Crisler Center last season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as USC Trojans Big Ten Standing After Dusty May's NBA Departure .
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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 12:00 PM.