Trey McKenney came to Ann Arbor with plenty of hype surrounding him. In exhibition play, though, things didn’t immediately click for the five-star freshman guard.
McKenney shot 0-for-7 from the field in the No. 7 Michigan men’s basketball team’s exhibition opener versus Cincinnati, committing three fouls and two turnovers along the way. Then against No. 5 St. John’s, he went 1-for-5 with four points.
But knowing McKenney as both a player and person, Wolverines coach Dusty May was never concerned.
“I think when you put a lot into this and it means a lot to you, and you’ve always dreamed of these moments, the excitement sometimes can cause you not to play very well,” May said Monday postgame. “… I’d almost be worried if he came out and played great his first game. He’d think it’s too simple, too easy.”
After struggling in the exhibition games, everything seemed to come together for McKenney in Michigan’s regular season opener. He put up 21 points while shooting 7-for-10 from the field Monday against Oakland, including a blistering 6-for-8 performance from beyond the arc.
McKenney took some time to get on the board, but when he checked into the game for the second time late in the first half, he came out firing. His two first-half 3-pointers helped the Wolverines extend their evergrowing lead over the Golden Grizzlies.
And in the second half, playing more minutes than any other Michigan player, McKenney kept building on his strong start. Both spotting up and creating his own space off the dribble, McKenney was a perfect 4-for-4 from 3-point range in the second half, including a couple from NBA range.
He also showcased his driving skills with an and-1 drive just as the Crisler Center’s lights cut out. Altogether, McKenney shot 5-for-5 from the field in the second half. His ability to shake off a 1-for-4 start to the game while rebounding from preseason difficulties exemplified his next-shot mentality. When asked postgame if he was concerned about how he shot in exhibition, McKenney echoed that sentiment.
“Absolutely not,” McKenney said. “I know the amount of work I put in. We’ve been stressing process over outcome, and I just let that stick in my head. It really worked out, just letting the game come to me.”
Aside from scoring the ball, McKenney used the season opener to get some point guard reps under his belt. He started dishing out assists in the first half with a left-handed, wrap-around assist from the elbow to sophomore forward Morez Johnson Jr. in the paint, who finished the job with an easy dunk.
McKenney ended the game with four assists and zero turnovers, running the show for the Wolverines with little issue in the second half. Without a clear true point guard behind junior Elliot Cadeau, McKenney put together a promising audition against Oakland.
“In practice, I’ve been working a lot at point guard for a couple weeks now,” McKenney said. “So I think I’m really starting to see the game better, and it’s slowing down for me. I think it’s really helped me, helped my game a lot.”
If exhibition is the only bump in the road for McKenney as a freshman, then he and Michigan could be in for a special year. The shooting and playmaking he put on display against the Grizzlies would be invaluable to the Wolverines throughout the season.
But even if more obstacles come up for McKenney, his debut is an encouraging sign for his ability to overcome them. If he can continue to leave his mistakes in the past, no dry spell should last too long.
