The Mavericks are reaping the benefits of what Dusty May calls the trust factor

The winds of change. The transformation of the Dallas Mavericks from last year to this is astounding. Everyone watching can feel it – something major has changed. It’s not just the leadership, a lot of staff and some of the roster. There’s more to it.

It is, however, all those new people, and what they brought along with them, that started the winds of change.

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The palpable energy shift. The intangible vibe change and the excitement around the team, on the team, for the team. Even through the screen. In the AAC, I bet it’s even more evident.

Everything has changed in Dallas. How the basketball looks on the court, how the players move (most of the time when they don’t revert back to bad habits), how they communicate, how the bench acts, even how the admin works and how the fans respond to it. But most importantly, how the coaches act, react and interact.

Dusty May has, along with his staff and new GM’s Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz, brought a culture change to Dallas that everyone is talking about.

Nov 9, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Dusty May talks with guard Kyrie Irving (11) during the second half against the Indiana Pacers at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

From what I see, it’s a culture change founded on one of the most important aspects of leadership and sports: trust.

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The power of trust and all it entails and doesn’t entail. Building trust on a sports team means a higher rate of passing, which creates a more dynamic offense and easier scoring, which we see in the increased number of assists this season, among other things. It means trusting that the ball will come back to you if you move well off-ball, and it means trusting your teammates to score, as well. That is healthy for a team as a whole, and wouldn’t ya know – it helps create a winning mindset and a winning team.

Trust also means that you don’t fear making mistakes as much, because you trust your coach and teammates won’t punish you for it, and they trust you will make up for it (perhaps on defense). Being fearful of making…

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Publish date : 2026-11-13 14:00:00

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