For Dusty May, there's been no time to revel in Michigan's national title

Michigan coach Dusty May and his staff didn’t have much time to celebrate the basketball program’s first national championship in 37 years.

That’s because by the time the Wolverines made it back to the locker room after hoisting the trophy and cutting down the nets following their win over UConn in the NCAA Tournament final, it was past midnight and the transfer portal had opened.

Even before all the confetti was swept up off the court inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, several assistant coaches were on their laptops in the locker room combing through the portal database.

Michigan coach Dusty May cuts down the net after beating UConn in the national title game.

“You have to get to the next thing,” May said on CBS Sports’ “Inside College Basketball” podcast this week. “We talk a lot about that. If we have a chance to compete in Detroit next year in the Final Four, then these next couple weeks are pivotal. There's no time to waste.”

And there’s not much time to soak in what the Wolverines accomplished in bringing home the program’s second national title. That’s just the nature of the beast. With the way the college basketball calendar is laid out, May noted it’s “almost impossible” to enjoy what his team did because once the season finished, the work for next season started.

There were some brief moments in the postgame locker room and on the walk back to the team hotel where May was able to reflect on what happened. But the following morning, he and his staff quickly turned the page, hit the ground running in recruiting and were busy making calls and setting up zooms with portal targets.

“If you don't capitalize on something like this, then you're sitting here wondering what happened when you take a step back,” May said on the 247Sports’ “The Assist” podcast this week.

“History is littered with organizations that won something big and then immediately let off the gas. We have a saying that all glory is fleeting. This could be gone tomorrow. We've got to make sure that we continue to put ourselves in position to compete like this every year.”

It didn’t take long for the roster-building process to get underway and for portal movement to take place. Just days after the Wolverines won the national title, they had a pair of freshmen — wing Winters Grady and center Malick Kordel — enter the transfer portal and they landed a commitment from Tennessee transfer J.P. Estrella, a 6-foot-11 big man.

Guards Elliot Cadeau, the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player, and Trey McKenney, who was named to the All-Big Ten Freshman team, made their returns official. Cadeau will be back for his senior season and McKenney for his sophomore year, forming a strong starting backcourt.

Center Aday Mara, the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year, and forward Morez Johnson Jr. both have NBA decisions to make. The two have until April 24 to declare for the draft and then have until the NCAA’s early entry withdrawal deadline on May 27 to decide whether to stay in the draft or return to school.

That adds a layer of uncertainty when it comes to building a roster for next season, especially with portal decisions being made so quickly. May noted that Mara and Johnson have been “very transparent” with their thought process, but there’s always the potential for plans to change during the pre-draft process.

“I lay out the information without any emotion,” May said on CBS Sports’ “Inside College Basketball” podcast. “I want it to be their decision. As parents, we want to develop our children as independent thinkers and problem solvers and decision-makers, so it's the same thing.

“Obviously, I want them both to come back. We can make it work. But I'm more concerned with what they want to do with their future and their careers. If they're both gone, I'm going to be rooting like heck. If they're here, I feel a lot better about our squad and our continuity. … We're going to support them with whatever they decide.”

Regardless, May said his priority is to assemble a roster like he had this season – one that has talented players who are committed to winning, who want to get better and who want to do it together.

May and his staff are trying to find guys who are “extremely undervalued or underutilized” and could flourish in a different situation or style of play that Michigan could provide, like Cadeau, Johnson and Mara did.

May added it’s imperative that “we can't get away from who we are and the way we do things.” The types of players the Wolverines prioritize and pursue will determine how they fare next season.

“We want to make sure that we're attacking this the same way we have the last couple years,” May said. “If we get away from the character traits that got us here, then I think we'll be making a mistake. … We have to bring in guys that love ball, they love to compete, and it's not about them.”

As May explained, habits and behaviors are contagious. If the team has a foundation built on players who are willing to sacrifice and support their teammates, that rubs off on everyone. If the team has players who are self-centered and about themselves, that’ll rub off on others, too.

It all makes for a hectic whirlwind at an important time of the year, even more so with no break and downtime after winning it all.

“It's exhilarating and horrible wrapped up into one. There's a lot of highs and lows every single minute. Things change drastically. Every decision you make could cause a chain reaction for three other decisions,” May said. “It's a juggling act. It’s terrible now, but once we have a team, once we have a roster, then it becomes awesome overnight.”

And once that’s done, May might finally be able to take some time to revel in Michigan’s banner success.

jhawkins@detroitnews.com

@jamesbhawkins

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan basketball coach Dusty May has been busy since title