The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1541451
36 THE WOLVERINE ❱ DECEMBER 2025 and off the court as well. I knew Coach Dusty and the rest of the staff were going to bring in people like me, or people who are like-minded. "I'm really competitive. With my ap- proach to the game, it never really af- fected me. It's a process, getting better and more polished. Every game isn't go- ing to be a good game. Sometimes I'm going to have bad games, sometimes good games. But the process is the same. My belief in the process will help me grow as a person and on the court even more." He also loved May's process. Watch- ing the Wolverines' dramatic turnaround in the new coach's first season stirred excitement well beyond the Michigan fan base. "Definitely," McKenney confirmed. "That tournament team, making it to the Sweet 16, that was really exciting to watch from afar. Just being here and on the team, a part of Michigan, makes it even more exciting to go into those big games or the tournament." May came to see McKenney roughly two weeks after securing the Michigan head coaching job. Like he has with many others who wound up on U-M's roster this year and last, he made an immediate impression. "My first impression of him was that he's very smart, and he knows the game well," McKenney noted. "That's some- thing I can get along with. I love basket- ball, and I love watching the game. I got along with him from the start." McKenney also found himself fixated by the X's and O's wizardry in getting last year's stalwarts — 7-footers Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf — to perform in tandem like few college skyscrapers can. "The team last year was kind of unique, with Wolf and Vlad," McKenney said. "That was really exciting to watch. Certain schemes he played with, like 4/5 ball screens — you'd never think of two big men playing a two-man game together. His schemes, he's just a really smart coach, and his staff is smart as well. It's just a perfect match for me." May focused on a couple of areas, with regard to getting the best out of McKen- ney leading up to his freshman year. The transition from high school scoring ma- chine to all-around fit for a top-10 col- lege crew began in earnest months ago. "Definitely, my movement off the ball needed help," McKenney assured. "Coming from high school, where I had the ball the majority of the time, it's not going to be the same. Just sharpening my cuts, and making sure I'm holding space off the ball, giving myself easier shots when I'm on offense. Definitely my defensive intensity as well." He didn't have to go far to find point- ers and encouragement beyond May and his staff of assistants. This year's gang of guards includes not only former North Carolina standout junior Elliot Cadeau, In Michigan's home opener against Oakland Nov. 3, McKenney shot 7 of 10 overall, including a 6-for-8 effort on three-pointers. He scored 21 points, grabbed a pair of rebounds and dished out 4 assists without a turnover. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL