The Oklahoma State Cowboys parted ways with Mike Boynton on Thursday, concluding a tenure that included just one NCAA men’s tournament appearance in seven seasons on the job. Boynton dealt with substantial headwinds in the latter half of his tenure, first with an NCAA tournament ban in 2022 that stood out among punishments from the FBI investigation into college basketball and then with NIL limitations that made recruiting challenging. Despite that, the Cowboys elected to make a change off a 20-loss campaign.
Interest in the job nationally will be closely correlated with the NIL situation. Without a substantial influx in cash for recruiting purposes, the next coach will be fighting with one hand behind their back against the grueling Big 12. But if the money is right, a job in college basketball’s best conference will have plenty of suitors.
Here’s a look at some potential candidates for the job.
