The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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JUNE/JULY 2026 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 25 2026 BASKETBALL RECRUITING ISSUE ways," May said. "He has a special feel for the game and competitiveness that really stands out. He can score at all three levels, create for others and make winning plays at both ends of the floor. What stands out most is his approach to the game and his desire to keep getting better." He's listed by some as a point guard but is more likely to see time early at Michi- gan in an off-guard or wing role, given the presence of a soon-to-be senior point guard Elliot Cadeau (who declared for the 2026 NBA Draft process to gain feedback but maintained his college eligibility and intends to play for U-M in 2026-27) and sophomore Trey McKenney. The newcomer embodies versatility, given his considerable reach and defensive prowess coming in. He's also described as someone who can make plays with the basketball and without, given his explo- siveness and leaping ability. He'll be work- ing to fine-tune his outside shooting in the college game, while finding multiple ways to score. "He's played at a very high level, he's physically mature," May said. "He's a specimen athletically, and we expect him to make major contributions." McCoy insisted that watching the Wol- verines close up — well before the confetti flew — sealed the deal. "I went on a visit in October, and it was amazing," McCoy recalled. "I wanted to be part of a winning team that was unselfish, and I felt that was Michigan. During my visit in October, I was impressed by prac- tice. The detailed execution stood out. The team was dialed into winning. From where they were to where they are now, they've improved." He formed a close relationship in re- cruiting with Michigan assistant coach Justin Joyner, who later took the head coaching job at Oregon State. No mat- ter for McCoy, who committed to Michi- gan for Michigan, and he isn't unaccus- tomed to sudden change. He went from St. John Bosco in his early high school years to finish up at Sierra Canyon, getting better all along the way. As a senior at Sierra Canyon, he wound up averaging 19.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.2 steals per game, shoot- ing an attention-grabbing 61.8 percent from the field. His junior season at St. John Bosco, he averaged 16.5 points and 5.9 re- bounds. As a sophomore, he racked up 18.0 points, 2.4 assists and 2.4 steals per game, after averaging 8.6 points and 4.5 rebounds as a freshman. He's also a well-decorated veteran of USA Basketball, earning gold medals at the 2025 FIBA U19 Men's World Cup, the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup and the 2023 FIBA Americas U16 Championship. He talked about those experiences with USA Basketball, and how challenging it is to compete in a USA Basketball minicamp. "It's really, really competitive," McCoy offered. "It's a dogfight out there. There are a lot of big names, so you get a bunch of people watching, going at each other's necks. Nobody wants to get embarrassed out there, so it gets really competitive. "In terms of team play, communicating is key to winning. Our [FIBA U16 Ameri- cas Championship Team] won because we talked a lot. Then player-wise, it's just about giving it your all. Making sure you're impacting the game outside of just scor- ing, which I feel like is something I've been improving on a lot." May noted: "USA Basketball — that ex- perience, playing at the highest level of high school hoops, prepares players to not be [self-centered]. … Traditionally, if you had a player who was the best player in his town or county or state and he comes to college shooting 30 shots a game, there's an adjustment. Not every play is going to be run for him." May stresses unselfishness, teamwork, communication and versatility, and Mc- Coy stands ready to check all of those boxes. The Rivals scouting report on McCoy, by Aidan Sen, delivers the sort of star pro- jection that has the Michigan fan base — up to and including the Fab Five — cel- ebrating over this one. "Brandon McCoy Jr. is one of the high- est-upside guards in the entire 2026 re- cruiting class," Sen wrote. "The Sierra Canyon product imposes his will on op- posing players, particularly on the defen- sive end, where he guards multiple posi- tions while applying relentless pressure to the ball. It was difficult to find a play where McCoy wasn't trying to make something happen, whether that be diving for a loose ball, communicating to his teammates, or swatting open layups in weak-side de- fense. His explosive lateral quickness al- lows him to stay in front of ball-handlers in both half court and full court, and his active hands see him consistently create turnovers, posting 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks in EYBL play. "That over-aggression occasionally does put him in foul trouble, but it speaks to a competitive disposition that is genu- inely difficult to coach. McCoy's motor extends to the glass as well, where he at- tacks the defensive boards with urgency and looks to push in transition immedi- ately, averaging 6.8 rebounds per game in EYBL competition. "On the offensive side, McCoy has a strong feel for how to leverage his physical tools to create advantages. When driving to the rim, he uses his size and physicality to draw fouls at a high rate, averaging 6.6 free throws per game in EYBL play, and his pull-up jumper flashes genuine prom- ise as a mid-range creation tool. His effi- ciency as a finisher at the rim is elite, rank- ing in the 98th percentile, and he posted a true shooting mark of nearly 60 percent in his most recent EYBL campaign." His room for improvement, shooting- wise (28-30 percent from three in a trio of EYBL seasons, and free throw shooting varying from 56-58 percent) will get ad- dressed immediately. But as Aday Mara — a 56.4 percent free throw shooter dur- ing the 2025-26 season, who finished 11- for-14 from the line in NCAA Tournament games — discovered, those numbers can change. ❑ By The Numbers • Brandon McCoy Jr. is listed as a con- sensus five-star prospect across the major recruiting services, checking in as the No. 11 prospect nationally and No. 1 combo guard in the Rivals Industry Ranking. • Rivals pegged him as the No. 1 combo guard in the nation, the No. 3 recruit na- tionally and the No. 2 player in the state of California. • 247Sports ranked him as the No. 2 combo guard, No. 14 nationally and No. 3 in California. • ESPN slotted him as the No. 5 combo guard in the nation, No. 17 player nation- ally and No. 3 in California. • Earned 2026 California All-State Player of the Year honors. • Selected to the McDonald's All-Amer- ica Game. • Selected to perform in the Jordan Brand Classic. • Won a gold medal with Team USA in the 2025 FIBA U19 Men's World Cup.