Mike Boynton Jr.’s time in Ann Arbor may only just be starting, but the moment Michigan’s newly-minted assistant head coach touched down in the Mitten State, it was a homecoming all the same.
For Boynton, a native of Brooklyn, New York, who coached all over the Southeast United States, Michigan may seem like a far cry from home. However for his wife, Jenny Boynton, a native of Holland, the University of Michigan was an easy sell. And over a decade removed from incorrectly trying to convince his wife that Stephen F. Austin University was, in fact, in Austin, Texas, Mike is excited for an opportunity that is both fresh and familiar.
“It certainly helped that I didn’t have to explain to my wife where the University of Michigan was,” Mike said on the Defend The Block Podcast . “Or tell her that we’re going to this foreign land across the country, but her parents still live in Holland, so it’ll be a great opportunity for our children to spend more time with their grandparents, but also to represent this tremendous University.”
It’s a welcome connection for Mike and his family off the court. Yet, for the one on it, it’s Mike’s dedication to family, bonds, and connections that empowered his time as former head coach of Oklahoma State University and propelled him onto coach Dusty May’s staff.
And as the Wolverines gear up for a tumultuous year of recruiting, team-building, and coaching, it’s the very same mentality that Boynton hopes can bring success to a young staff.
“I’ve always been convicted that it’s about people,” Mike said. “And I’m even more so convicted in that, particularly as the landscape of college athletics, particularly college basketball, has changed in the seven years since I became a head coach.”
Dusty May Promo!
The post Mike Boynton Jr. emphasizing relationships, chemistry during recruiting and team-building process appeared first on UM Hoops.com .