Mike Boynton hasn’t been on the job at Michigan basketball for long, but he’s already putting his recruiting stamp on the program.
That matters because Boynton arrived with a well-earned reputation as a strong recruiter, and early signs in Ann Arbor suggest that edge is carrying over. With his contract barely in place, Michigan is already in the hunt for multiple five-star prospects in the 2027 and 2028 classes.
One of the biggest names on the board is Cayden Daughtry, the No. 9 player in the 2027 class and the top point guard in the cycle. Dusty May had been pushing hard and seemed close to landing a commitment before he left for the Dallas Mavericks, but Michigan has kept the pressure on under Boynton. Daughtry is on an official visit to Michigan basketball this week.
Another major target is 2028 center Dylan Betts, a 7-foot-3 prospect from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy. Brice Marich reported that Betts has scheduled an unofficial visit to Michigan, giving the Wolverines a shot to make an early impression on one of the most intriguing big men in his class.
Betts is ranked No. 11 overall in the 2028 class by 247Sports, while the 247Sports composite has him at No. 13.
His offer sheet is already loaded, with North Carolina, Kansas, Michigan, and Alabama all extending offers since June 16. UCLA, Illinois, Florida State, and USC also jumped in during June.
That’s a crowded field, and Illinois is the early favorite according to the Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine, which gives the Fighting Illini a 48-percent chance to land him. Illinois has already hosted him for a visit. Still, getting Betts on campus is a meaningful step for Michigan at this stage of the process, especially with a player who is only beginning to see his recruitment take off.
Boynton’s presence also lines up with the kind of frontcourt pipeline Dusty May built at Michigan. May clearly had a thing for 7-footers, with Aday Mara and Vlad Goldin both over 7-foot in the past two seasons, while Moustapha Thiam, now the starting center, is listed at 7-foot-2.
Boynton’s recruiting track record gives Michigan reason to believe. He has coached multiple NBA players, a Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, and Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 overall pick. He also helped keep Michigan’s roster together, and now the question is whether that same touch can translate into landing elite high school talent.
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