"I’m trying to achieve my goal of making it to the NBA": 5-star recruit Trey McKenney speaks amid rumors of potential Kentucky commitment
Forward Trey McKenney, a five-star recruit, is the first player from St. Mary's Preparatory to win the Gatorade Michigan Boys Basketball Player of the Year award, doing so last season. He talked about his NBA dream and his collegiate career in an interview with Ezekiel Trezevant of SI.com.
“The big thing for me is going to be the relationship a school is able to develop with my family,” McKenney said. “I’ll look at where I’ll be able to grow best as a person and as a basketball player.
"I’m trying to achieve my goal of making it to the NBA. Also, a big thing for me is going to be winning at the college level. I want to win.”
McKenney also talked to Kentucky Sports Radio about how incredible receiving an offer from Kentucky would be.
“You never think (John) Calipari would leave Kentucky, McKenney said. "But Kentucky itself, even before Calipari, they were a powerhouse. Kentucky is one of the biggest schools in college basketball, so having them talk to me is a blessing.”
Near the end of May, Kentucky Wildcats coach Mark Pope and his staff were in Indianapolis to watch McKenney and other potential targets.
“It would mean a lot. I’ve been watching Kentucky since I was a kid growing up,” McKenney said. The entirety of McKenney's childhood coincided with the peak of the Coach Cal experience at Kentucky, yet Calipari and his staff were not recruiting McKenney during his tenure with the school.
How good is Trey McKenney?
Trey McKenney, a 6-foot-5, 212-pound junior, led St. Mary's to a 27-1 record and the Division 1 state championship last season. He averaged a double-double, with 22.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game for the Eaglets.
McKenney recorded 32 points and 10 boards in the state final as the school from the Detroit suburbs defeated North Farmington High 63-52. He also was the 2023 Division 1 Player of the Year and a two-time All-Catholic League first-team selection.
He’s ranked as the nation’s No. 12 recruit in the Class of 2025 by ESPN.
Do you think we will see Trey McKenney in a Kentucky jersey?