on may 13, 2019, in a surprising move, beilein signed a five-year contract to become the head coach of the cleveland cavaliers. beilein led michigan to a 278–150 record with nine ncaa tournament appearances, including two finishes as national runner-ups. beilein has advocated for a system similar to college football, where a committed player has to stay in school for at least three years. it was speculated that the rise of "one-and-done" and early nba draft entries, which resulted in a trend of more time spent on recruiting and higher turnover of players, has contributed to beilein decision to leave coaching college basketball. beilein's departure from michigan is widely regarded as a loss to college basketball.