Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel announced Tuesday that assistant Mike Boynton Jr. “has been appointed head coach in an interim capacity” following the departure of Dusty May, who agreed to take the Dallas Mavericks’ head-coaching job.
Boynton, 44, has previous head-coaching experience, as he’s not too far removed from his seven-season run at the helm of Oklahoma State. Boynton posted a 119-109 record while leading the Cowboys from 2017-24, notably guiding them to the NCAA tournament in 2021.
He joined May’s inaugural Michigan staff ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.
“Mike has been an invaluable member of our staff and a respected leader throughout his career,” Manuel wrote in his statement. “He knows what Michigan Basketball represents and has earned the trust and respect of our student-athletes and everyone in our program. His experience, character and commitment to our values make him the right person to guide the team during this transition.”
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel announces that Mike Boynton has been appointed “head coach in an interim capacity.” pic.twitter.com/sMwJYbEHWI
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) June 23, 2026
The past two seasons, Boynton served as an assistant and as Michigan’s defensive coordinator.
Last time around, the Wolverines won their first national title since 1989, in part thanks to their stellar defense. In fact, Michigan clocked out with the top-rated defense in the country in terms of KenPom’s adjusted efficiency metric. Bolstered by their vaunted frontcourt, the Wolverines authored a 37-3 season, seizing the Big Ten regular-season championship and then rebounding from a loss in the Big Ten tournament final to win a national championship.
The defense Boynton was in charge of thrived against UConn in the national title game. Michigan held the Huskies to 38.2% shooting, including a woeful 13.3% clip from deep.
On Monday, Boynton met with every single player on the Wolverines’ 2026-27 roster, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander. That roster includes a trio of intriguing transfers — former Cincinnati center Moustapha Thiam, former Tennessee forward J.P. Estrella and former LSU forward Jalen Reed — as well as reigning Final Four Most Outstanding Player Elliot Cadeau and backcourt partner Trey McKenney.
Typically, a 15-day transfer window opens for players five days after a new head coach is hired or publicly announced at their school. But ESPN’s Jeff Borzello reported an important clarification from the NCAA on Tuesday: Since Michigan has named only an interim head coach, that 15-day transfer window for Wolverines players won’t open until the 31st day after May’s departure.
The upcoming portal opening will mark the start of a key period that could determine Michigan’s repeat chances under Boynton.
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