Michigan Basketball Hot Board: 3 Coaches to Consider if Mike Boynton Isn't Hired

Mike Boynton Jr. has been named the interim head coach, but here are three other names to consider.

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It was a sobering day for Michigan basketball and its fans. After athletic director Warde Manuel announced days after winning the national title, that Dusty May had agreed to a new deal to keep him in Ann Arbor for the foreseeable future — that's no longer the case.

News broke on Monday morning that May and the Dallas Mavericks had agreed to a deal for May to become their new coach, with the lure of coaching Cooper Flagg — boy was I wrong before.

Shortly after, more news broke that Michigan planned on appointing assistant coach Mike Boynton Jr. as the interim head coach. But there was no timestamp put on that, and that could mean he's the interim for a few weeks, or the whole season.

It's likely Boynton gets a chance to lead Michigan during its 2026-27 season, hoping he can keep most of the roster intact, but Michigan should do its due diligence and see which other coaches express interest in the job.

Here are three coaches the Wolverines could consider if Boynton isn't the answer.

The obvious: Billy Donovan

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The most obvious answer here is Billy Donovan. He led the Florida Gators from 1996-2015, and won back-to-back NCAA Tournament championships with the Gators. After 19 seasons at UF, Donovan left for the NBA.

Things didn't pan out for him with the Chicago Bulls, and Donovan would be a hot commodity if he chose to re-enter the college ranks.

The only issue regarding Donovan is that he hasn't been in the NIL game. He would have some catching up to do if he chose to coach college basketball again, and Donovan would have to get back into the blueprint of recruiting.

It would certainly be a big name for Michigan to go after, and Donovan has proven he knows how to coach. As long as he could get back into the flow of recruiting and take advantage of NIL, he would be a good hire, at least on paper.

Shot in the dark: Mark Few

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This one is far-fetched, but crazier things have happened — like May leaving for Dallas after two seasons in Ann Arbor. Few is one of the most accomplished coaches in college basketball, and he's spent his entire coaching career at Gonzaga, leading the Zags since 1999.

Few has won at Gonzaga and the Bulldogs are usually one of the top teams entering the NCAA Tournament, but Michigan would offer way more than Zaga. Few could truly recruit with the best and the Wolverines' NIL would be far greater than what he has at Gonzaga.

Few doesn't have a ton of years left to coach, and a late change to Michigan could make sense for both parties. The Wolverines would get one of the top collegiate coaches and someone who knows all about roster building and winning in March.

Worth the call: Nate Oats

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Since taking the Alabama job back in 2019, Nate Oats has made the Crimson Tide one of the top teams in the SEC. It wasn't long ago that Bama wasn't much of a basketball school, but Oats has done wonders with Alabama.

He was successful at Buffalo prior to Bama and Oats is one of the top recruiters in the country. He was a two-time MAC Coach of the Year, and also won the SEC Coach of the Year in 2021.

Oats plays with a high-tempo system, similar to what Michigan ran under Dusty May. The team wouldn't have to learn a much different system, and Oats would be able to come into Ann Arbor and succeed right away.

Is it likely Oats leaves Alabama? Probably not, but if he has any interest, the Wolverines should consider.