Boynton returns to Brooklyn, where for him it all began
Mike Boynton grew up on the playgrounds of Brooklyn, gaining valuable tools that would lead him on to his significant destinations in life, even Stillwater, although that particular stop would have never crossed his mind at the time.
“It made me who I am,” the Oklahoma State coach said of his days in the New York City borough. “Not just (Bishop) Loughlin High School, but growing up in Brooklyn. It helped me develop a sense of competitiveness that I don’t know if I would’ve been able to get other places without it.
“Being an athlete up there, it was hard to get on the court sometimes. I used to go to the park and there’d be 50 people there. You lose and you get to the back of the line and it may be a while before you’re back on. You learn how to fight. You learn how to compete.”
Those things have been vital in eventually leading Boynton to OSU and his first head coaching gig at the age of 35.
Now he’s going home, all grown and polished, and taking the Cowboys with him for a two-day run in the Legends Classic at the Barclays Center.
OSU opens with old Big 12 rival Texas A&M on Monday (6 p.m., ESPN2), before facing either Pittsburgh or Penn State on Tuesday.
And sure, Boynton’s excited to be there, amid family and friends. But he’s happy for his players, too, to experience such a trip and New York City on the verge of the holidays.
“I’m thrilled for our players,” Boynton said. “I’m sure a lot of them have never been to New York City. It’s an unbelievable place to visit and spend a little time. For three or four days, enjoy yourself, see the sights and the lights and everything. It will be a great experience.
“But first things first, we’ve got a great opponent on Monday with guys that have a lot of talent.”
Boynton was raised in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, known by locals as Bed-Stuy, an area marked by brownstones and Victorian architecture that’s long been a hotbed of talent for the city’s African-American population.
Lena Horne, Jay Z, The Notorious B.I.G., Chris Rock and Tracy Morgan are some of the entertainers emerging from Bed-Stuy. Athletically, the alums are equally impressive: Jackie Robinson, Lenny Wilkins, Floyd Patterson and Mike Tyson, among others.
Boynton, who grew up amid strong parenting, played and starred at Bishop Loughlin High. But the real growth of his game, and his persona, were harvested on the blacktops against the best of the best.
“It prepared me for this because it gave me, not an arrogance, but a confidence that I played against the best guys every day,” he said. “I competed against the best people every day.
“There’s no other place that can make you tough like New York City can.”