Father of Michigan basketball star Trey McKenney talks son’s freshman journey at Final Four

Some of Michigan’s greatest followers are heading to Indianapolis to cheer on the Michigan Wolverines within the Final Four this weekend.

However, nobody can be cheering louder than the athletes’ dad and mom. CBS News Detroit spoke with the daddy of freshman Trey McKenney to study what led him to the Wolverines and the Final Four.

McKenney had many choices popping out of highschool. He was the highest recruit popping out of Michigan within the class of 2025. He selected to remain residence and be a part of the crew that his father, John McKenney II, says he all the time dreamed of taking part in with.

“The way he is like a person, how driven he is like a young man, is why me like a father, I’m not surprised with anything he does,” mentioned John McKenney II.

From Flint to freshman phenom, John McKenney II says his son is all the time prepared when the lights are brightest.

“The bigger the game, the better he plays. The bigger the situation, the better he plays. There’s no mountain really big enough to stop him,” he mentioned.

He says Trey grew up in love with the Wolverines program, beginning with one other legendary Michigan guard who shared his title.

“When he first really started following basketball, following Tre Burke’s journey. A lot of it is the last 10-15 years Michigan has probably been the most successful team,” John McKenney II mentioned.

Breaking a pattern of gamers from his space who typically select the Wolverines’ greatest rivals in East Lansing, Trey set his sights on Ann Arbor. John McKenney II says he sees his son carving his personal path, the identical approach Flint native and Michigan legend Glenn Rice did.

“The cherry on top would be a championship, so to see my son, the first kid from Flint since Glenn to attend Michigan, it would mean that much more,” he mentioned.

It’s no shock how he expects Trey’s freshman 12 months to finish, both.

“I expect us to win it all. Go Blue,” he mentioned.

The Wolverines have been leaning on McKenney greater than ever since LJ Cason’s season-ending damage, particularly within the NCAA Tournament. Only within the blowout towards Tennessee within the Elite Eight did he log fewer than 20 minutes, and he matched his second-best scoring output of the season with 17 factors when Michigan wanted it most towards Alabama within the Sweet 16.

However, the job’s not completed, and it continues Saturday evening towards Arizona.