Michigan basketball just pulled off a seriously smart move for their new head coach, Mike Boynton Jr.! The program announced Monday they've officially brought in Mike Martin, Brown's longtime head coach, to join Boynton's inaugural staff as an assistant coach. This isn't just some regular hire, folks. This is a guy who's been running his own program for over a decade.
Boynton Bags a Veteran Presence
This addition is the first personnel hire Boynton has made since he snagged his two-year deal last week, finally shedding that interim tag after Dusty May split for the NBA last month. Martin spent a whopping 14 years as Brown's head coach, so he's bringing some serious experience to Ann Arbor. Boynton isn't holding back on the praise either. "Mike is someone I've admired for a long time," he said. "He's an outstanding coach, an exceptional teacher and one of the best recruiters in the game, but more than anything, he's a great person who truly invests in his players." You love to hear that a coach values character as much as X's and O's. Boynton added that Martin built "consistently competitive teams through player development and a winning culture," and those are exactly the values they're chasing at Michigan. This move screams "foundational."From Youngest D1 Coach to Program Legend
Let's talk about Martin's resume, because it's stacked. The 44-year-old spent 14 seasons leading Brown, racking up a 171-202 record, making two postseason appearances, and finishing in the top half of the Ivy League five times. And get this: his best season came in 2018-19 when he guided the Bears to their first 20-win season and their first postseason victory ever, which earned him Ivy League Coach of the Year honors! The guy basically bleeds Brown hoops; he was a four-year starting guard there from 2000-04, then an assistant for a year before six years at Penn. When he took over at Brown in 2012, he was just 29 years old, making him the fourth-youngest head coach in Division I basketball. Then, in 2023, he became the winningest coach in the program's 120-year history. Talk about putting in the work! Martin himself is fired up, saying he's "incredibly grateful to Coach Boynton for the opportunity to join the Michigan basketball family," and that it's easy to see why Michigan is "one of the premier programs." He's ready to "help build on everything this program has accomplished." That's the kind of attitude you need. This is just the start, too. Martin is likely the first of several new faces on the coaching staff. Assistant Justin Joyner bounced to become Oregon State’s head coach, and Drew Williamson followed May to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA. Boynton's still got more positions to fill this summer. Keep an eye on Ann Arbor, because with Martin on board and more hires coming, this Michigan squad is going to be one to watch. Let's GO!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.