Mike Boynton Wants to Win, But He Wants to Influence More

Mike Boynton has recruited well, really well, and he can coach. His next step with the Oklahoma State program is to win. He gets that, but he knows the most important step he takes in his job is off the court everyday.

STILLWATER -- The other day Oklahoma State basketball head coach Mike Boynton was being asked to remember what it was like the day that the nation's top prep recruit in basketball committed to his program and the Cowboys. He told the story through his son Ace.

"My son wants to coach someday, but I'm not going to let him do that," Boynton said joking, we think.

He said he told Ace that Cade Cunningham was committing and that he was coming to OSU. Boynton said his son was ecstatic and basically said it was the happiest day of his life. There were surely some Cowboys hoops fans that felt the same way. 

As Ace grows up, whether he decides to coach basketball or not, he will figure out up close and personal why his dad and Oklahoma State landed a top recruit that could have gone anywhere. Cade Cunningham could have gone to Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina, anywhere. He came to Oklahoma State like a number of good players recently.

The reason they come? Basketball is part of it, but Boynton and his make up is too. Boynton knows the job is not just coaching man defense, how to press break, or developing skills like shooting, passing, rebounding, and defending.

“He brings his kids around all the time, they’re like our little best friends, his wife is always around, so just having that it really brings a family atmosphere to us, and I can’t be more appreciative of it,” star recruit and now Oklahoma State point guard Cade Cunningham said of his head coach.

“What drew me to him is his honesty and the type of man that he is,” graduate transfer shooting guard Ferron Flavors Jr. expressed of his new head coach.

Flavors is the oldest player on the team, having played at two other four-year schools and a junior college and Cunningham is among the youngest. 

“I wanted to make sure that whoever I went and played for was a genuine person first and foremost, and also somebody that I could trust off the court also. I wanted it to be a situation where I was able to build a relationship and I could call on this person 5-10 years down the road, and I know that person will have my back the same way as when I have a jersey on with them.”

Boynton never shuts off his access to his players. He is there coach 24 hours a day.

“I can go to coach Boynton’s house 24/7, I can call him anytime," added Cunningham. "I can text him at any time, I have called and texted him at wild times, it’s not like I’m just saying it assuming that it’s possible for me, I know I can. Being able to have that as your head coach, you can’t really ask for anything more.”

Boynton and his staff's recruiting has been stellar. His chin up attitude through all the obstacles that have popped up in the way of building his program, virtually none of it of his doing or responsibility has been admirable. Fans will tell you he still needs to win, but like the players they see the value in all that is Mike Boynton. Boynton sees that value in all areas too. He especially sees it in the relationship and his role as a role model for his players.

"A lot of times the competitive part of this business overshadows the true mission, in my mind, of what I'm here for," Boynton clarified. "There will be 27 times in the regular season, maximum, that we will get to go out throw the ball up and play a game. If we get to postseason, hopefully, we'll get to play four or five more games, maybe 35 games overall. I have a responsibility in their lives everyday, so I have 330 days that I don't have to coach games and they need to see somebody that they can trust, that they can hopefully see as an example. 

"I try to have my kids around as much as possible. I want them to see me show affection to my wife, tell her thank you, and not be afraid of having kids in the office," Boynton continued. "I want them to understand than no matter how much success you have in life, it still comes down to how you treat people and how you comport yourself from a respect standpoint. At the end of the day everything else goes away and at some point I'm not going to coach, but I still have to be a good person."

Boynton's wife Jenny is around the players a lot and serves as a basketball nutritionist helping players with their diets. His daughter Zoe is also around along with Ace. They've been seen at practice and around the office. 

Boynton talks about having good role models as a coach and a man, starting with his father Michael Boynton Sr. and his coaches from the very beginning. That part of the job is always important to him

"Probably my most gratifying moments as a coach is to hear from the parents telling me how much their kids enjoy being here, being coached. That ultimately for me is validation. I want to beat everybody we play. I want to win a national championship. I think that is obvious. I want to win every game, but I want to be respected by these kids and their parents more than win any game at all."

Listen to the Oklahoma State players and he is. Remember last season and the ceremony that was held by Lindy Waters III and his family and the blanket that they honored Boynton with. It was the "Circle of Life" blanket and the highest honor blanket that could be bestowed on an individual. Boynton earns that blanket each day.

“Coming here has definitely been, in my opinion, one of the best decisions that I have made in my life, and that’s also off the court, having the coaching staff and people around us that we have here, is something that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life,” Flavors said. “He’s just such a genuine guy”

“He’s available to us, and you don’t get that everywhere, trust me, you do not get that everywhere,” Cunningham said. 

That blanket given by Waters and his family is displayed proudly in Boynton's office but he could wrap himself in it.

"I don't sleep much, but I do like to enjoy when I sleep," Boynton said. "I sleep well because I feel like we do things the right way. We treat kids right and they want to be here." 

That kind of feeling in a program seems to always lead to the other goal Boynton and Oklahoma State fans have of winning and winning a lot.