Michigan Freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. Out for 2026-27 Season

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The buzz around Michigan’s backcourt took a brutal hit before it ever reached Crisler Center.

Head coach Mike Boynton Jr. announced Tuesday that freshman guard Brandon McCoy Jr. will miss the entire 2026-27 season after tearing the ACL in his right knee, a crushing blow for a Wolverines program that expected the five-star recruit to be an instant pillar.

The injury came early in Michigan’s European tour finale against KK Mega SUPERBET in Montenegro, a game meant to cap a promising overseas showcase. Instead, it turned into a turning point for the season before it starts.

McCoy had been every bit the headline act on the trip. In Lithuania, he averaged 14.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 steals across the first two games, numbers that backed up the hype surrounding Michigan’s 2026 signing class. He opened his Michigan career with 14 points, five rebounds and four steals against the Lithuania National Team, then followed it with 15 points and five boards against the Lithuania National B Team — the kind of two-way production that screams future star.

Now, that rise is on hold.

Michigan will provide further updates on McCoy’s surgery and recovery when they’re available, but the immediate reality is stark: Boynton has lost his most dynamic freshman before the season has even tipped. For a new coach trying to stamp his identity on the program, the adjustment starts now.

The Wolverines still have time to reshape rotations and redefine roles. What they no longer have is the electric guard who, for two games in Europe, looked ready to change their trajectory.