OSU basketball coach Mike Boynton to share thoughts at Bartlesville fundraiser

With two 20-win seasons to his credit the past five seasons — and the future shimmering as bright as an aurora borealis of promise — coach Mike Boynton has helped restore the sparkle in Oklahoma State men’s basketball.

Boynton likely will offer his thoughts on basketball, life and service during his visit to Bartlesville as the keynote speaker at the 16th Annual Samaritan Sports Spectacular.

The event is set for Aug. 19 at the Hilton Garden Inn. Individual seats cost $75 or table sponsorships start at $250.

Boynton won’t be the only member of OSU sports ‘royalty’ in the house on that Friday evening. OSU Athletic Director Chad Weiberg also is set to attend as a guest.

The work of the Samaritan Counseling and Growth Center focused on serving the mental and spiritual health needs of individuals, couples and families within the Bartlesville area.

Among the conditions licensed therapists deal with through a variety of methods are depression, anxiety, PTSD, grief, abuse, ADHD and more.

A new event has been added this year — a ‘pie in the face’ donation competition among six Bartlesville community leaders — Jim Curd, Chris Batchelder, Lisa Beeman, Kyle Ppool, Don Simmons and John B. Kane.

For more information on the event, go to supportsamaritan.org.

Mike Boynton: 'We want to be developing young people who are responsible and who are good people'

The comments and observations of Boynton will highlight the affair.

The 40-year-old native of Brooklyn, N.Y., is on the threshold of his sixth season guiding the Cowboys’ basketball program.

He’s guided the team to three winning seasons, including an impressive 21-9 showing and NCAA tourney appearance in 2020-21.

During his first season (2017-18), Boynton navigated the Cowboys to a 21-15 mark and into the NIT quarterfinals.

He should surpass the 100-win career mark this season, which shows plenty of promise.

Among his incoming talents are freshman Quion Williams, a four-star 6-foot-4 small forward recruit out of Jonesboro, Ark.

“He’s been here with us this summer,” Boynton said during an E-E phone interview. “He’s already made quite an impression on teammates and staff. … With the process of developing and learning over the course of time he’s going to be a really great player. … He can make a living in it if he continues to develop.”

Boynton has already experienced notable success in that area.

His main recruiting prize in 2020, 6-foot-6 Cade Cunningham of Montverde (Fla.) Academy, earned All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year honors as a freshman for the 2020-21 season and then became the NBA overall No. 1 draft pick (Detroit Pistons) in 2021.

“I’m thankful I was able to coach him for one year,” Boynton said.

But, the occasional brush with incredible talents like Cunningham is not the fuel that drives Boynton desire as a coach.

He enjoys the process of observing the growth in a young man and player from his freshman year “not really knowing who he is in life” to “watching him out with a college degree with an opportunity that will forever change his life.”

Compared to the daunting prospect of making a living in pro basketball, “that’s (a college degree) the more likely path,” Boynton added.

He feels fulfilled when he sees former players become doctors, attorneys, police officers, politics and so on.

“We want to be developing young people who are responsible and who are good people,” Boynton added.

Part of the challenge of doing that is the current transfer portal that makes it relatively easy for players to switch schools.

For example, a handful of OSU players left via transfers after last season and another slate transferred in.

This situation makes it difficult for coaches to put in long-term team-building plans.

But, what makes it more disturbing “is that it impacts kids more,” Boynton said. “More of them are more negatively impacted then should be. Coaches are naturally going to adapt.”

In addition, the transfer portal policy affects negatively the opportunity for scholarships for players coming out of high school.

Once a player enters the transfer portal, the school where he’s at can void or reduce his scholarship — even if he decides to stay.

If the athlete finds a new home, if effectively takes away a freshman scholarship because the transfer scholarship counts toward the scholarship limit.

Boynton said he believes that more players could get more out of their college experience by staying with their teams and developing lifetime memories and friendships.

“It’s (transfer portal) certainly a new reality,” he said. “I’m thinking we’re getting away from the mission of college athletics. … Having been a student-athlete, I know the impact a great college experience can have on you.”

Boynton excelled as a young player, earning All-New York City honors as a prep after he averaging 15.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg and 11.0 apg.

He played college ball for South Carolina and averaged more than one three-pointer per game. He and his teammates played in the 2004 NCAA tourney; he finished his college opportunity with a degree in African-American studies.

His coaching career has included stops as a graduate or full assistant at Furman, Coastal Carolina, Wofford, South Carolina and Stephen F. Austin.

In 2016-17, he assisted Brad Underwood at OSU. When Underwood moved on to Illinois for the 2017-18 season, Boynton moved into the head coach position at age 35.

Other than the normal ups and downs of a college program fighting to remain competitive on a national level and in the Big 12, Boynton had to deal with a major issue last spring when the NCAA barred OSU from postseason participation due to accusations of infractions by a former OSU assistant prior to Boynton’s tenure as head coach.

The punishment to OSU wasn’t meted out five years after the ruling of infractions.

Boynton said he’s happy to have this cloud behind the program so that it can move forward with its goals.

He’s been in Bartlesville before, but this is the first time he’ll be part of the Samaritan fundraiser. He plans to deliver a message that he believes will be well-received by the audience.

Boynton on David Castillo: 'He has a tremendous work ethic'

Bartlesville Sports Commission Board Chairman Chris Batchelder played a key role in attracting Boynton to the event.

“He’s the reason I’m coming,” Boynton said. “We were neighbors when I first moved into Stillwater and we became good friends.”

Although he didn’t give any specific comments about Bartlesville High basketball player David Castillo, Boynton confirmed that OSU has offered him a scholarship.

“I’m aware of who he is,” Boynton said. “People in college basketball know he has a tremendous work ethic.”

Boynton’s participation in the Samaritan Spectacular will help the organization continue its police of not turning anyone away that needs assistance, said Samaritan Board of Directors President Kristin Curd.

Last year, Samaritan served approximately 900 individuals with 5,000 counseling hours.

The event starts off at 6 p.m. on Aug. 19 with a dinner catered by Dinks BBQ, a cash bar and “candy bar” dessert table, sports-themed games and DJ services by DJ Brandon.

“A large silent auction will feature numerous quality items, as well as a small live auction, led by auctioneer Roger Skelly,” Curd said.”

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Oklahoma State hoops coach Mike Boynton to address Bartlesville crowd