Michigan’s freshman class took a major hit this week, with Brandon McCoy Jr. set to miss the entire 2026-27 season after tearing the ACL in his right knee during the team’s overseas trip, a program spokesperson confirmed Tuesday.
“Further updates on McCoy’s surgery and recovery status will be provided when available,” a program spokesman said.
The injury happened about 20 seconds into Michigan’s game against Mega SUPERBET. McCoy brought the ball up in transition, slipped to the floor under the basket and did not return. He was unable to put weight on his right leg and needed help getting off the court.
For Michigan, it’s a brutal loss. McCoy entered the program as the highest-ranked player in the 2026 recruiting class and the second five-star to commit under Dusty May, following Trey McKenney. A McDonald’s All-American, McCoy was ranked 14th in his class when he made his commitment in April and has since moved up to 10th in the composite rankings.
The talent level is obvious. In the two full games he played on the Euro trip, McCoy averaged 20.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and three steals per game, flashing the kind of athletic, two-way game that makes NBA teams take notice. He looked like one of Michigan’s best players on the trip, plain and simple.
He also appeared likely to start at the 3 this season, so the injury leaves a real hole in Michigan’s depth in Mike Boynton Jr.’s first season at the helm.
On paper, Quinn Costello looks like the next man up. The freshman shot 45.8 percent from three on 24 attempts during the trip, and he would seem to fit alongside, presumably, Trey McKenney, Elliot Cadeau, J.P. Estrella and Moustapha Thiam in the starting five.
Still, the bigger picture is the one that hurts most. McCoy is young and healthy otherwise, and Michigan will give him top-level medical care as he begins the long recovery process. But an ACL tear is no small thing, physically or mentally, and the program has seen that side of it before; Jaelin Llewellyn spoke openly about the mental struggles he faced after his own ACL injury.
For now, Michigan just has to absorb the blow and wait. The season is still months away, and there will be more to sort through as McCoy’s recovery and the lineup picture develop.
In Other News...
Michigan Freshman QB Rise Just Made The Opener More Interesting
Tommy Carrs climb up Michigans quarterback pecking order has quietly become one of the more interesting developments of camp. The true freshman has earned the QB2 job for the season opener, moving ahead of Colorado State transfer Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi after what coaches viewed as a steady spring and fall. Carrs mobility and knack for extending plays stood out, giving the Wolverines a backup option whose style adds a different layer to the offense.
Fowler-Nicolosi brought experience and a strong arm into the competition, but his late arrival to campus made the race tougher from the start, especially with Carr already building momentum. For Michigan, the backup spot matters more than just insurance - it can shape how the offense looks if the starter has to come out, and it also says plenty about how quickly Carr has earned trust. The opener should still answer the biggest questions, but this one leaves a little more intrigue than expected. [Read more 🡒]
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Moores return comes with a measured approach after a two-year absence, but the bigger boost may be the presence of edge rusher John Henry Daley, who is fully recovered from his Achilles injury and already working his way into the defense. Kyle Whittingham has pointed to Daleys readiness and explosiveness, the kind of development that can matter immediately for a unit looking to open the season with more depth and a little more bite. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Just Lost A Freshman Its Rotation Was Counting On
Brandon McCoy Jr. had already carved out a significant place in Michigans plans before the regular season even arrived, starting all three exhibition games on the Wolverines foreign tour. For a freshman expected to play a major role right away, those early reps suggested he was quickly becoming part of the rotation the staff was counting on heading into the 2026-27 campaign.
Instead, Michigan now has to move forward without him after McCoy Jr. suffered an ACL injury during the exhibition trip and will miss the entire season. The Wolverines said they will continue to share updates on his recovery as more information becomes available, but the immediate concern is clear: a young piece the program was banking on will be on the sideline just as the year begins. [Read more 🡒]