ROCHESTER, Mich. — Oakland's
Trey Townsend broke onto the scene as a freshman for the Golden Grizzlies, as he averaged 8.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and a team-leading 0.8 blocks per game. The native of nearby Oxford was one of just two players on the team to start every game and wound up earning Horizon League All-Freshman Team honors alongside teammate
Micah Parrish.
We sat down with Townsend to discuss his family roots at Oakland, successful freshman season, and future aspirations.
Can you explain how Oakland University athletics plays a significant role in your family?
It started with my dad. He is originally from Anchorage, Alaska but ended up at Oakland. He came to a basketball camp in Indiana with one of his friends, and a coach from OU happened to be there. He started the recruiting process with my dad, eventually met Kampe, which led to him coming to Oakland. My mom is from around Michigan and ended up going there for basketball as well. My dad played for all four years, while my mom played two years before going to Ohio State for dental school. I have been around campus and going to basketball games for as long as I can remember. The relationship my dad has with Kampe is the main reason for that. My brother has always wanted to play college soccer, which is how he connects to the story. He never really talked about where he wanted to go to college, but I was always hoping he would join me here. Once he did finally commit here, it was a cool realization because we will be able to go to school together for another three or four years, depending on how the extra year of eligibility works out. He will be moving in this August, so we will be back to seeing each other all the time like we did in high school.
Are you and your brother planning to live together at Oakland?
He has to stay in the freshman dorms just like how Chris (Conway) and I did last year. He is welcome to come over to my place whenever he wants, though. It will be rough for him not to have a kitchen, so he can come on over whenever he needs to cook something. I know he is looking forward to moving out and enjoying the college experience.
Do you and your dad ever play 1-on-1 since he is a former college basketball player?
I think the last time we played 1-on-1 together was when I was young. He would always put me through drills growing up, though. When I was younger, he was two or three feet taller than me and quite a few pounds heavier, so it was not too fair. Nowadays, it would not be much of a competition since I am much more mobile than him. But even though we did not play much 1-on-1, he helped me out a lot in basketball.
Who do you think is the better college basketball player between you two?
He is very humble about that. He will joke about it every once in a while, but he is always letting me know that where I am at as a second-year player is far beyond where he was at skill-wise at the same age. So that helps me see that I am still progressing as a player, which makes me feel good.
As a native of nearby Oxford, have you done anything to stay active in the community this summer?
Twice a week, I have been going to my high school to help out with their practices since they are currently in summer league right now. I try to help out in any way I can, whether with drills or positional tips. I also helped out at the Rochester University basketball camp. I have had a good time with both programs and am happy to stay involved.
Do you aspire to coach at the high school or college level in the future?
That is something I have always wanted. I knew I wanted to stay around basketball any way possible and really enjoy the coaching aspect, whether for little kids or at a higher level. I would love to go back to my high school and helping out when my playing career is over.
It seemed like you played every position in high school, while you mostly played forward and center as a freshman at Oakland? Do you expect to be more of a combo forward in the future?
Coach Kampe and I talked about my position at the beginning of the offseason. He wants me to transition back into my original position so that we can have a true center in the lineup. Obviously, I did not perform terribly at the five, but it is not my primary or natural position. I did whatever I could at center, but I hope Chris (Conway) will have a lot of success at the five-role next year. I believe that I can be a double-edged sword in the lineup, as I can be excel as a guard but still play in the post whenever needed.
How challenging was it to face top-tier centers such as Michigan's Hunter Dickinson when you were pretty new to the position?
That was a crazy thing to experience. For example, Hunter was six or seven inches taller and quite a few pounds heavier than me. Purdue's Trevion Williams was who I struggled against most. Playing against a college veteran that is huge at the same time was challenging. I learned a lot playing against guys like that but can admit that it was not the easiest task.
Chris Conway mentioned that you were the OG TikToker of the team. Do you agree with his statement?
I was on TikTok more casually before he was, so once we were living together last summer, I talked him into creating an account. Around the beginning of the season, Chris took off on TikTok, so he is the more famous one. I guess you can consider me the OG of it out of us two.
How unique was it to play in a nearly empty gym for the majority of your games last season?
It sounds like it would be a big weird thing, but it helped me adjust to college basketball. I did not have to worry about a packed college arena. Instead, I learned how to play against college talent without the stress of fans, especially in away games. This next year, I will already understand how to play against college guys, so it will not come at me all at once. I believe it is an aspect I benefited from.
I saw you tweet out the picture of a packed O'rena the other day. How excited are you to play in front of OU fans this season?
I cannot wait to play in front of a packed O'rena. Growing up, I would go to as many home games as possible and always bring friends with me. All my friends would be begging me to bring them to these games because the atmosphere was so crazy. It is a small community, but the gym is rocking. I just want to play in front of those fans instead of having an empty gym where you can only hear your teammates cheering on from the sideline.
What is going to be the biggest strength for Oakland men's basketball next season?
For the returning guys, the chemistry we have will carry over from this past year. The young talent is also going to play a major role in our team. I believe Chris (Conway) will be the most improved player. I always tell everyone who asks me about him that he is the most skilled big man I have ever played with. We are all excited to play with Chris and see him thrive. Jalen (Moore) has been a great leader this offseason by bringing us all together. Having him as a floor general will help the team gel on the court.
