Big 12 Basketball: Ranking all 14 head coaches in 2023 after realignment
By Joey Loose
13. Mike Boynton Jr. – Oklahoma State
Born in Brooklyn, Boynton spent four years playing point guard at South Carolina before beginning his own coaching career. He had short stints at a few mid-majors before joining his alma mater’s coaching staff over a decade ago. He would work for half a decade with Brad Underwood, following him to Stephen F. Austin and Oklahoma State, helping build the success for those programs. When Underwood bolted for Illinois in 2017, Boynton became the Cowboys’ head man.
There have been some ups and downs in Boynton’s first six seasons leading the charge in Stillwater. The highlight was his fourth season when future top draft pick Cade Cunningham helped lead the team to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Oklahoma State has three 20-win seasons under Boynton, but that remains their only trip to the Big Dance and their only finish above .500 in the Big 12.
It’s worth lauding Boynton for keeping Oklahoma State competitive in a tough and top-heavy Big 12, but they haven’t exactly been in position to make noise of their own. He’s barely above .500 without a #1 draft pick on the roster and this program simply isn’t making postseason noise like they once were. You can’t say Boynton is doing a bad job, that’s not the case at all, you just have to wonder where his place will be in this new-look Big 12, especially when rival Oklahoma leaves for the SEC.