Michigan basketball: Mike Boynton Jr. officially named head coach, interim tag removed

The Michigan Wolverines have a new head coach in Mike Boynton Jr., announced by the school on Friday. The interim tag has been removed, and Boynton has agreed to a two-year contract to lead the program.

The move comes less than a month after Dusty May’s departure for the Dallas Mavericks, leaving the program in a state of shock coming off the second national championship in program history. Boynton was quickly named the interim, and has done a masterful job keeping the roster together, with 13-of-14 scholarship players officially locked in.

With a full-time head coach named, the tranfer portal opens for all Michigan players on July 15.

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

“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. “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.”

“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.”

Boynton has two decades of coaching experience, including a 7-year stint as the head coach at Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Conference. He has been on both May staffs at Michigan, joining as an assistant coach in the spring of 2024 and being tabbed as the program’s defensive coordinator.

Defense was a consistent calling card for the Wolverines over the last two years, ranking 12th on KenPom in defensive efficiency in 2024-25’s campaign that ended with a Big Ten Tournament title and Sweet Sixteen appearance. This past season, Michigan rode the top-ranked defense in the country to a 37-3 record and the program’s first national championship since 1989, ranking No. 1 on KenPom defensively.

Boynton grew up in Brooklyn, New York, emerging as a star point guard at Bishop Loughlin Memorial HS, earning first-team All-New York City honors and making the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame. He played collegiately at South Carolina from 2000-04, appearing in 125 career games (4th in program history) and averaged 9.9 points and 3.5 assists per game during his senior season en route to a NCAA Tournament appearance.