with modest expectations. He'd been
named the Ohio Player of the Year, but
only a handful of schools really made
him a priority, and hometown Ohio
State wasn't one of them. He'd likely
have gone to Cincinnati had the Wol-
verines not snatched him up, landing
his commitment in August 2010.
Novak only needed to see him once
live to know they had something spe-
cial.
"Trey, I knew it from day one," he
recalled. "I went in the offices after we
played in open gym and said, 'This kid
is the best I've ever played with.' The
kid was incredible.
Trey Burke came to Michigan as a three-star prospect, but he went on to be named Big Ten
Freshman of the Year and, a year later, league and national player of the year.
PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL
