Michigan State fans got a little extra reason to smile on Friday when Michigan made its coaching move official.
After Dusty May stunned the college basketball world by leaving for the Dallas Mavericks, Michigan spent the offseason with Mike Boynton as the interim answer. That temporary label is gone now. Boynton has been named the permanent head coach on a two-year deal, a decision that landed poorly with plenty of Wolverine fans who saw it as a step backward.
May’s exit was a brutal one for Michigan timing-wise. It came right before the 2026 NBA Draft and well after the transfer portal window had closed, leaving the school to scramble for a replacement in the middle of the offseason. Boynton, who had been serving in the interim role, was the quick fix.
He does bring power-conference head coaching experience from his seven seasons at Oklahoma State, where he coached Cade Cunningham to the No. 1 overall pick in 2021. But the overall resume is a tougher sell. Boynton went 51-75 in Big 12 play, finished 119-109 overall, and reached the NCAA Tournament just once during his time with the Cowboys.
That’s a hard follow-up to a coach like May, who was widely viewed as one of the best hires in Michigan basketball history after turning the program back into a contender. May took over before the 2024-25 season and quickly restored the Wolverines after Juwan Howard had run the program right into the ground. Then, after winning a national title in year two, he took the Dallas job and left Michigan searching for stability.
Still, Michigan State fans shouldn’t mistake an underwhelming hire for a harmless one.
Michigan is still going to be Michigan State’s biggest threat in 2026-27. Boynton is stepping into one of the most talented rosters in the country and arguably the top team in the Big Ten. The Wolverines are coming off a national title and still have plenty of firepower, with Moustapha Thiam, Elliot Cadeau, and Trey McKenney leading the way.
So even if the hire looks shaky on paper, the talent is real. This could end up feeling a lot like the early Juwan Howard days, when Michigan inherited a strong roster from Beilein and was in the title mix right away.
That’s why Spartan fans can enjoy the awkwardness in Ann Arbor, but only for so long. Michigan still has the pieces to contend, and Tom Izzo knows it. He’ll treat the Wolverines the same way he would have if May were still there, because elite talent demands respect no matter who’s drawing up the plays.
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Tom Izzo May Have Found MSU's Frontcourt Answer Or Another March Worry
Michigan State spent the offseason reworking its frontcourt after the departures of Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper, and Tom Izzo appears to have added size in response. Ethan Taylor and Anton Bonke arrive as the newest options inside, giving the Spartans a different look in a part of the roster that needed reinforcements. For a program that lives on physical play and late-season toughness, how quickly those pieces settle in could matter a lot.
Taylor is expected to be part of the rotation rather than an immediate starter, while Bonke brings the kind of traditional big-man profile that can change the feel of a game if it translates to Big Ten play. The upside is obvious: Michigan State may have found answers for a frontcourt that needed them. The concern is just as clear, because if the adjustment period drags on, the Spartans could still be searching for a true replacement when the games get bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Suddenly Has Real Momentum With A Rising 4-Star Guard
Joshua Tysons path has taken a familiar route for Michigan State fans watching the recruiting board. The four-star combo guard has moved from Lakota West in Ohio to La Lumiere in Indiana, a prep program that has sent plenty of prospects toward East Lansing over the years. Tyson also recently made an unofficial visit to Michigan State, where Tom Izzo extended an offer and added another name to the long list of guards the Spartans are trying to line up for the future.
The next step is already on the calendar, and it gives Michigan State a real chance to deepen the relationship after that first visit. Tyson is planning an official trip, and the Spartans are in the thick of the race with schools like Xavier and Ohio State, which makes every impression matter a little more. There is also a useful wrinkle at La Lumiere, where Tyson will be teaming with fellow Michigan State target Kingston Thomas, giving the Spartans another layer to sell as they try to turn early momentum into a commitment. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan States Newcomers Already Bring A Real Minutes Battle For Izzo
Michigan States offseason overhaul has left Tom Izzo with a roster that looks deeper and more layered than it did a year ago, and the newcomers are already shaping the early conversation about who gets on the floor. With five new scholarship players expected to matter this season, the Spartans have a mix of freshmen and transfers who could change the rotation quickly, especially at the spots where the team needs immediate help and where the competition for roles is already crowded.
Jasiah Jervis and Carlos Medlock Jr. appear best positioned to force their way into meaningful minutes, while the rest of the class may have a longer road to regular playing time. Ethan Taylor and Julius Avent, in particular, are walking into situations where established options make every possession count, and that kind of internal battle is exactly what Izzo wants as Michigan State keeps building toward the bigger picture, including the programs long-term push to be in the mix when Detroit hosts the 2027 Final Four. [Read more 🡒]