Men's basketball coach Mike Bokosky leads Panthers to success in 29th season

Chapman men’s basketball coach Mike Bokosky celebrated his 500th win after 29 seasons at the university. Photos courtesy of Larry Newman

On Jan. 26, the men’s basketball team celebrated Mike Bokosky as he reached 500 wins as Chapman’s head coach.

Bokosky said he didn’t know he had hit his 500th win until assistant coach Dan Kirkorian announced the milestone after the game. Success — in the eyes of others — isn’t as important to him as being a good coach, Bokosy said.  

“It’s (the report of 500 wins) the most overrated thing that has ever happened,” Bokosky told the Panther. 

Bokosky emphasized that any accomplishments he has made as a coach should be attributed to the players' hard work, and he would rather his team be highlighted for their success this season instead of his number of wins.  

Fellow coaches and players attest that Bokosky is not only shaping winners on the court, but off the court too.  

Many members of the men’s basketball team have played under Bokosky since before the pandemic forced them to take a year off. Forwards Chandler White, Daniel Foldes and Anthony Giomi told The Panther that over the past three years of playing for Bokosky, they have grown to be better players and people.  

“He is extremely passionate about coaching; no matter what he says, you have to respect what he says as a coach because of how much experience he has,” said forward White, a senior business administration major. “Someone with that many wins and that much success has to know something. What he says holds value.”

White speaks for him and his teammates when talking about how Bokosky is a great coach and wants them to be good players, but more importantly how he cares how they act off the court.

“My philosophy in life with basketball is to try and get players to get out of their comfort zone, and play harder than they are used to playing,” said Bokosky on commenting on his coaching style. 

Forward Anthony Giomi,‘21, said that Bokosky always puts his players in the best path toward success, and that over the last four years his playing style has been completely transformed for the better.

Kirkorian echoed the players’ praise for Bokosky’s passion as a coach. As a former player of Chapman basketball himself, the now assistant coach’s dedication to the program’s development over the past 13 years shows the long-lasting impact from Bokosky.  

“I’ve been through some battles, wins, losses, the whole gamment with him,” Kirkorian said  when discussing how he is a part of the pride that comes with the milestone in wins both as a player and coach.  

Mike Bokosky coaches The Panthers from the sidelines at a former game.

Players commented that the team’s dynamic is better this year due to the fact most players are returners and more than half are seniors.  

“My relationship with Coach Bo has really improved this year,” Foldes, a senior business administration major, told The Panther. “It’s cool to be fully in the system with people you can trust.”  

Giomi said Bokosky is not only the funniest coach he has ever had, but also that he stands out as a coach, because he puts an emphasis on character development, teammates like Foldes agree. 

“He coaches us as adults and young men compared to how other coaches act,” Foldes said. “There is a lot of dialogue and communication which allows us to be better players and a better team.”

While Bokosky credits the success he has had as a coach to his past and present players, Chapman’s basketball program recognizes the work he has put in.

“He has obviously been the man behind it all; he steered the whole ship, and it has been a pleasure, as a player and a coach, to sit next to him and go through those things,” Kirkorian said. “We're excited to keep this season rolling.”

The Panthers will finish out the regular season with their last six conference games through mid-February. Post season SCIAC playoff games are set to begin on Feb. 23.