FAU coach Dusty May walks back second-thoughts comment about taking Owls job in 2018
BOCA RATON — Five years ago, Dusty May thought he made a mistake when he accepted the head basketball coaching position at Florida Atlantic.
Today? Here is what 2023 Dusty May would have told 2018 Dusty May:
“Stop being a big baby and stay the course,” May said Tuesday while he and his players were interviewed as they prepared for a Final Four semifinal date with San Diego State on Saturday in Houston.
May recently shed light on his emotions when he initially took the job at FAU. In an interview with CBS Sports, the former Florida assistant said he was having second thoughts.
"I walk in the [hotel] room and I started crying and said, 'I just committed career suicide. I'm not good enough. I can't do this,'" May said to CBS Sports.
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It could be the laundry list of accomplishments his Owls have accomplished in the five years since, especially this season, that made May get over his initial reaction.
"It's like being a parent. You sit back and watch them cut the net and watch their moments." he said of the post-game celebration last Saturday after FAU defeated Kansas State. "I love their practices. If Alijah [Martin] makes a big-time pass in practice, I'm more excited than I am in the Elite Eight.
"And then seeing my wife and kids. You move your family around, changing schools, and your wife's changing jobs; to see them soak in that moment because they are the ones that have made the sacrifice, I have gotten to do what I loved every single day for 20 plus years. Those are the moments I'll cherish."
The moments that May talks about all comes back to the camaraderie between the players that has led to the team’s success.
Nick Boyd talks about Owls' camaraderie
Redshirt freshman Nick Boyd said the team acting as a collective unit has been the biggest reason for their accomplishments.
"I feel like we're the most together team in the country," he said. "Our ability to hold each other accountable and not take things personally goes a long way."
Coming back to Boca Raton after the Elite 8 win proved to be beneficial toward FAU's preparation. The team went straight from Columbus, Ohio to New York after beating Fairleigh Dickinson in the second round.
“It was nice to sleep in our own beds and use our washing machine and have clean clothes and not wear the same thing for a month straight with the same three outfits rotating,” May said. “We considered going to Houston a little bit earlier, but these guys are focused to keep playing and putting our best foot forward so the preparation is extremely important.”
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Dusty May, Florida Atlantic Owls taking in moments of Final Four run