Mike Boynton Jr agrees to two-year deal as Michigan Basketball head coach following national title success

Mike Boynton Jr has locked in a two-year contract to take over as the full-time head men’s basketball coach at Michigan, the school confirmed on Friday (July 10). The New York native steps into the permanent role after serving as interim coach once Dusty May departed for the Dallas Mavericks last month. Boynton helped engineer the Wolverines’ championship run last season and now gets the chance to build on that foundation.

Continuity and confidence from Athletic Director Warde Manuel

Mike Boynton Jr joined the Michigan staff in 2024 shortly after May arrived from Florida Atlantic. He handled defensive coordinator duties and played a major part in crafting the nation’s top-ranked defense during the title-winning campaign. Athletic director Warde Manuel highlighted Boynton’s experience and steady presence in a statement.

"Mike is a veteran assistant with strong head coaching experience and a clear understanding of the standard we expect at Michigan," Manuel said. “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.”

Mike Boynton Jr expressed gratitude for the trust shown in him.

"I'm grateful to Warde for his confidence and thankful for the opportunity to lead this program," Boynton said. "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."

Keeping the core roster together after May’s exit

One of Boynton’s biggest early wins came in retaining nearly the entire roster amid the coaching change. Projected starting guard Trey McKenney announced he would stay just hours after May left. Starting point guard and Final Four Most Outstanding Player Elliot Cadeau followed days later. Incoming transfers JP Estrella from Tennessee and Moustapha Thiam from Cincinnati reaffirmed their pledges last week. Five-star recruit Brandon McCoy Jr also chose to stick with Michigan on July 4.

The only remaining question mark is returning guard LJ Cason, who suffered a torn right ACL in late February and could miss the full 2026-27 season.

Strong endorsement from former coach Dusty May

Dusty May, who led the Wolverines to the national title before jumping to the NBA, offered high praise for his former assistant.

"You couldn't ask for a better person to lead Michigan basketball," May said. "Mike has poured everything he has into this program from the day he got here. He's an outstanding coach, an even better person, and our players believe in him because they see the work he puts in every single day. I'm incredibly proud of him and excited for Mike, Jen, Ace, and Zoe. There's nobody more deserving of this opportunity, and I know he'll do an outstanding job leading this program."

Before arriving in Ann Arbor, Boynton spent seven seasons as head coach at Oklahoma State. He guided the Cowboys to the NCAA Tournament in 2021 behind future No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham. His coaching path also includes assistant stops at Oklahoma State, Stephen F. Austin, South Carolina, Wofford and Coastal Carolina.