5-Star Guard Trey McKenney Announces College Commitment: Why His Choice Could Reshape Next Season

Lead-in Buzz is building in Ann Arbor as five-star freshman guard Trey McKenney officially begins his first season with the Michigan Wolverines. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Flint native arrives as one of the program’s most decorated recruits in a decade and is already reshaping both his body and Michigan’s backcourt identity. Subhead: Off-season weight loss signals next-level commitment Since enrolling in May, McKenney has trimmed 18 pounds under strength coach Matt Aldred and performance dietitian Hannah Champine, swapping fast food for tailored macro plans and daily recovery sessions. Head coach Dusty May called the transformation “a preview of his ceiling,” noting the freshman’s improved first-step burst and conditioning during preseason scrimmages. Subhead: A high-school résumé stacked with hardware McKenney arrives after averaging 23.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3 assists and 2.1 steals while leading Orchard Lake St. Mary’s to a 27-1 record and the Michigan Division I state championship last spring. The McDonald’s All-American was ranked a consensus top-20 prospect and No. 19 nationally by the 247Sports Composite, choosing Michigan over blueblood offers from Kansas, Kentucky and Michigan State. Subhead: How McKenney fits Dusty May’s up-tempo blueprint May wants the Wolverines to run, and McKenney’s 6-9 wingspan, downhill power and three-level scoring align perfectly with that vision. In practice, staffers have deployed him as a “position-less initiator,” alternating between primary ball-handler and small-ball wing to exploit mismatches. His ability to rebound and push in transition mirrors the NBA-style pace May installed at Florida Atlantic, where guards generated 48 % of early-clock shot attempts. Subhead: Projected role in the 2025-26 rotation Michigan returns just one starter, opening a clear pathway to 28-32 minutes per night for McKenney. Expect him to share the floor with sophomore sharpshooter Jaelin Llewellyn, forming a backcourt that blends physicality with perimeter gravity. Staff insiders hint the freshman could average double-figure scoring by January if his three-point clip stays near the 38 % he posted on the Nike EYBL circuit. Subhead: NIL momentum and fan engagement McKenney’s early social-media teasers with Detroit streetwear brand “Hail Originals” have already eclipsed 250 k views, underscoring lucrative Name-Image-Likeness potential. Industry analysts project his first-year NIL valuation to land in the low-six-figure range—rare air for a college newcomer but reflective of Michigan’s expanding market and his star power. Subhead: What’s next Michigan opens the season November 14 against Oakland. Should McKenney’s revamped frame translate to college pace, he could enter Big Ten play as a legitimate Freshman-of-the-Year contender. For a program hungry to return to the NCAA Tournament, his rapid development may prove the tipping point between another rebuilding year and a surprise March run. Closing Trey McKenney’s story has all the elements that captivate college-basketball fans: hometown hero, physical transformation and a chance to resurrect a storied program. If his preseason trajectory holds, Crisler Center crowds—and search engines—will be chanting his name deep into March.