Oakland transfer Trey Townsend to take official visit to Michigan

Oakland forward Trey Townsend is taking an official visit to Michigan this Sunday, per On3’s Joe Tipton. The 6-foot-6, 228-pounder played four seasons for head coach Greg Kampe with the Grizzlies and possesses one year of eligibility remaining.

This past season, Townsend led Oakland in four of the five major statistical categories, averaging 17.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 45.5% from the field and 37.5% from beyond the arc.

Townsend was pivotal in Oakland’s stunning upset over No. 3 seed Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The senior standout notched 17 points and 12 rebounds in the win.

While Townsend was unable to lead his team to victory over NC State in the Round of 32, he still put on a show. Townsend finished the overtime-thriller with a game-high 30 points and 13 rebounds while shooting 11-25 from the floor.

Townsend’s 2023-24 masterclass wasn’t a fluke. In four seasons at Oakland, Townsend averaged 14.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per contest on 50% shooting. As expected, Michigan isn’t his only suitor.

Townsend has also reportedly heard from Michigan State. Further, he declared for the 2024 NBA Draft. The Michigan native is far from a guaranteed addition for the Wolverines, but having him on campus is a great start.

An unranked recruit in the 2020 class, Townsend played high school basketball at Oxford (Mich.) High, where he broke the school’s single-season scoring record with 456 points as a senior. He also competed in high jump for his track and field team.

Will Trey Townsend jumpstart the Dusty May Era?

If Townsend decides to transfer to Michigan, he will be a part of a new era. On March 24, the program named Dusty May its next head coach. He replaced Juwan Howard, who Michigan parted ways with at the end of the 2023-24 season.

Overall, May amassed a 126-70 record at Florida Atlantic, including a 61-39 conference record between Conference USA and the AAC. After the Final Four run in 2023, the school gave him a lucrative 10-year contract extension. However, May will now pass on that extension to rake in even more money at Michigan.

According to the Palm Beach Post, May’s salary increased to $1.25 million per year with a 5% raise each season until 2033. The Columbus Dispatch reported his buyout dropped to $1 million on Feb. 29.