Mike Boynton: ‘I Don’t Have Any Reason to Believe I Won’t’ Return in 2024
The 2023-24 season has been disappointing for Oklahoma State basketball, as the Cowboys find themselves at 12-18 (4-13) on the year and sitting at 13th in the Big 12 standings.
Mike Boynton, who is in his seventh year as the head coach in Stillwater, has led the Pokes to just one NCAA Tournament bid since taking over the program and would need to win the Big 12 Tournament to get his team into the Field of 68 this year.
While nothing is impossible in March, that seems highly unlikely.
Naturally, Boynton’s job status has been a topic of discussion amongst Oklahoma State fans and media as the struggles this season have been tremendous. However, Boynton doesn’t have any inclination that his employment status is in any kind of danger at this point in time.
While meeting with media on Thursday, Boynton was asked if he’s talking to recruits or portal targets about next season at this point, given the likelihood that his team’s season will come to an end in Kansas City next week.
“We need to be a Tournament team [next year],” Boynton told media. “We need to be a team that’s not even fighting at this point to get in. That’s gotta be priority No. 1 for everybody associated with our program, starting with me, but every player, every staff member, every [graduate assistant]. I want that to be the mindset of our administration.
“If I’m fortunate to be back, and I don’t have any reason to believe I won’t. I’m not trying to speculate, but I know that’s a question. I don’t want to pretend like it’s not.”
Media followed up that answer with the question of whether Boynton had discussed his job status with athletic director Chad Weiberg.
“I have conversations with Chad all the time,” Boynton said. “We’ve never had a discussion about my job status in the middle of the season. We’re at the end; I don’t expect to have a conversation like that before the end of, whatever, next week.”
Oklahoma State will finish up its season against BYU in Provo on Saturday night. A loss combined with a West Virginia win at Cincinnati would have the Cowboys — who’ve never finished better than 5th under Boynton — finish at the bottom of the Big 12 standings.
