​Michigan took the internal route to find its new permanent men’s basketball coach. Athletic director Warde Manuel announced on Friday that he has dropped the interim tag on Mike Boynton Jr. and hired him as the program’s head coach on a two-year deal. “I’m grateful to Warde for his confidence and thankful for the opportunity to lead this program,” Boynton said in a statement. “We have built a championship culture and a standard that everyone associated with this program takes great pride in. We have an outstanding group of players, and I’m excited to get to work and continue the success we’ve established together.” Boynton, 44, served as the top assistant on Dusty May’s staff for the past two seasons and played an integral role in helping the Wolverines regain national prominence. As the de facto defensive coordinator, Michigan’s top-ranked defense was particularly formidable during the team’s national title run this past year.
“Mike is a veteran assistant with strong head coaching experience and a clear understanding of the standard we expect at Michigan,” Manuel said in a statement. “Over the past two seasons, he has been an invaluable member of our staff, bringing stability, leadership and perspective during an important period of success. Our players and staff believe in his vision, are committed to his leadership and are excited for the opportunity to pursue great success together this season.”
Boynton was named interim head coach by Manuel on June 23, a day after May left for the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. However, Manuel didn’t specify how long that arrangement would last and didn’t indicate whether a coaching search was being conducted at a time of year when the coaching carousel had long stopped. That clarity finally arrived Friday with Boynton being named the 19th head coach in program history.
“Coach Boynton has demonstrated exceptional leadership, unwavering integrity, and a deep commitment to the development of student-athletes throughout his career,” Michigan president Domenico Grasso said in a statement. “I am confident he will build on our winning tradition, strengthen our culture of excellence, and lead our program in a way that reflects the very best of the University of Michigan’s values.”
Prior to Michigan, Boynton was head coach at Oklahoma State for seven seasons before he was fired in March 2024. During Boynton’s tenure from 2017-24, the Cowboys went 119-109 and made one NCAA Tournament in 2021, led by No. 1 recruit and No. 1 NBA Draft pick Cade Cunningham. That 2020-21 campaign — when the Cowboys went 21-9 and 11-7 in Big 12 play — was Oklahoma State’s best season under Boynton and the lone season it finished .500 or better in conference play. Despite that middling success, the move to Michigan marks a chance for Boynton to establish a more stable, long-term program at a high-profile program. This hiring comes as Michigan aims to sustain the momentum from a season in which its defense anchored a title run and its culture emphasized accountability, discipline and competitive excellence.