Mike Boynton Talks of Team's Commitment to Program
STILLWATER – Monday was a historic day for the Oklahoma State men’s basketball program. Five-star, and No. 1 overall prospect in the 2020 class Cade Cunningham, announced that’s sticking with his commitment to Mike Boynton and Co.
The announcement comes in the face of a looming 2020-21 postseason ban as a part of the sanctions handed down by the NCAA in regards to the Lamont Evans/OSU investigation.
"It's more than a word, it's action," said Cunningham. "It's standing by the people you started with. It's showing up even when times are hard. It's believing in the people that always believed in you. It's commitment. Now, more than ever, I'm Loyal and True. I'm committed. Stillwater, let's work."
Cunningham joins nearly every single other player on the roster and in the 2020 signing class, save for Yor Anei and Hidde Roessink, in returning. That includes incoming Ole Miss transfer Bryce Williams.
The one remaining player yet to announce, Montreal Pena, isn’t really active on social media, but coach Boynton said he’s confident Pena will stick with his commitment.
As I mentioned in this morning’s article, this might be an even bigger recruiting win for Boynton and Co. as this is not only the second time they’ve had to commit the 2020 class, but they’ve also had to help keep the existing roster intact.
As you can see in Cunningham’s quote above, and as we read in every single other commitment graphic from the other players, commitment and loyalty to those who are loyal to them have been instrumental in keeping everything whole.
“I don’t know if it’s unfair to say it’s more significant, partly because there’s a lot of opportunity right now for these guys to be pulled in different directions and then any sign of negativity or things not being as comfortable, usually causes most people to look in another direction for that help,” said coach Boynton. “But what I say this is as significant as it is for our program, I think it says so much more about these kids individually, about what they are at their core, which are guys who want to be committed to something bigger than themselves.
“A lot’s gonna be made about Cade today, and rightfully so, there’s a grad transfer in this conversation who can’t be forgotten. He only has one opportunity to play college basketball again, in Ferron Flavors, and for him to stay firm on his commitment, again shows that he’s a kid who believes that his word has value, that he wants to be someone who sacrifices a little bit, maybe on the front end, so that he can achieve something with a group of guys that he believes in. But it says a lot about how these kids were raised. Their parents, who have all be phenomenal throughout this process, and it gives me a lot of pride feeling like, at least the things that we say in the recruiting process, ‘we’re gonna look after you, we’re gonna care for you, we’re gonna make sure that you have the support necessary, no matter what you’re going through’ is something that they really believe in.”
In fact, during the Zoom call with the media Monday afternoon, HCMB was wearing a “Loyal and True” shirt.
Throughout the first few days after the NCAA handed down its penalties, current players like Isaac Likekele were contacted close to 30 times from college coaches.
Cade Cunningham turned down at least $500,000, from the G-League, once during the spring, and once again after the NCAA penalties. Not to mention all the endorsement deals that go along with being a pro and the potential No. 1 overall NBA Draft pick in 2021.
Throughout his entire tenure as head coach, as well as throughout Isaac Likekele’s entire career in Stillwater, there has been seemingly constant controversy. Whether it be the FBI/NCAA investigation or having to release players from the roster. But there’s certainly be one constant throughout all of it, including the past few weeks: loyalty and commitment.
