Outside of the sting of losing another elite head coach, fresh off a national championship, the biggest concern for Michigan basketball fans after Dusty May's departure was what the roster would look like.
There could have been a mass exodus. It doesn't matter that the transfer portal doesn't technically open for Michigan basketball players until later this month; the vultures were circling the moment the report on May went live on ESPN.
However, Mike Boynton Jr., a man with seven years of head coaching experience with Oklahoma State, and who was critical in recruiting this roster, alongside May, has done a tremendous job of keeping those pieces together.
Brandon McCoy Jr. is staying at Michigan, per ESPN sources. The momentum continues for Mike Boynton keeping together what’s regarded as a Top 5 roster for 2026-27. https://t.co/9eDuzjBbEJ
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) July 4, 2026
The latest retention, coming on July 4th, was from Brandon McCoy (via Pete Thamel), the five-star signee ranked No. 13 overall in the 2026 class, via the 247 Sports composite rankings. That means all five projected starters will be on the roster. Jalen Reed, too, and hopefully Quinn Costello. He is the last big name out there, and one of four top-100 freshmen in the 2026 class. The others have already recommitted to the Michigan basketball program, along with Malachi Brown, who was a freshman this season.
McCoy was the last big concern. He had a ton of suitors coming out of high school, but May and the Wolverines pulled off the win late, as McCoy announced his commitment at the Final Four with the Fab Five.
The 6-foot-5 guard is an elite defender. He can play the one, two, or three, and should be starting alongside Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney.
Mike Boynton has passed his first big test as Michigan's interim head coach
Nine players have commited to return. There are others still out there, but the roster for next season, at least, is really solid. Is it a top-5 roster? That depends on the development of McCoy, McKenney, Moustapha Thiam, and J.P. Estrella.
Michigan needs all those pieces to take leaps. That's how the Wolverines won the national championship last season. Aday Mara, Morez Johnson, and Elliot Cadeau all played significantly better basketball for Michigan than they did at their previous schools.
Boynton will need to copy that recipe if this Michigan team is going to have any chance of defending its national championship. It still hasn't been announced that he will coach the team this season, although that should be coming any day.
That's clearly the plan. Boynton, who had three top-20 defensive teams in seven years with Oklahoma State, seems up to the challenge. He's navigated the offseason. Now, if he can lead this team to a successful season, the full-time job could and probably should be his.
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