By W.G. Ramirez
The Sporting Tribune
The John R. Wooden Award will celebrate it’s 50th anniversary this season. Leading up to the award ceremony on April 10, 2026, The Sporting Tribune in partnership with the Wooden Award and the Los Angeles Athletic Club will highlight past winners of the Wooden Award and the Legends of Coaching Award.
When Trey Burke was a sophomore at Michigan, his talent stood out in college basketball thanks to a knack for combining his elite point guard command with late-game fearlessness, all while being the engine of one of the most efficient offenses in the country.
The 2013 Wooden Award winner was special far beyond the numbers he turned in for the Wolverines, as his control and discipline truly set him apart.
Burke was long known as someone who played like a coach on the floor, an extension of the coaching staff, if you will, as he played with a controlled tempo, dictated matchups for not only himself but also his teammates. He knew when to score and when to pass, which is why Michigan’s offense ran entirely through his decision-making and rarely stalled since he generally made the proper reads.
And Burke wasn’t only known as a shooter, he was a shot-maker who was able to fire for deep pull-up 3-pointers, was dangerous with his off-the-dribble jumpers, and was extremely tough to stop with his finishes in traffic.
Burke’s shots were scaled with difficulty. The bigger the moment, the more comfortable he looked, most famously the game-tying 3-pointer against Kansas during the 2013 NCAA Tournament, in the regional final.
There have been very few college guards who have ever run the pick-and-roll as well as Burke, who was known for splitting traps while manipulating help defenders and being able to hit rollers and shooters with perfect timing.
Michigan’s spacing amplified Burke, but it was his reads that made the system elite.
Burke shouldered the burden of carrying a massive offensive load without being inefficient. He was a high-usage guard who had a low turnover rate and had excellent shooting splits. It was a balance that was, and still is, extremely rare, especially in high-stakes games.
Burke, who starred at Northland High School in Columbus, Ohio, arrived in Ann Arbor poised beyond his years. It’s why he was named the Big Ten’s co-Freshman of the Year, as he never looked rushed with a calm body language and confident decision-making skill that helped him avoid moments of panic in end-of-game situations.
His leadership ability at such a young age led his teammates to trust him completely. Burke’s presence elevated the talent around him.
Burke exhibited an authoritative leadership through his play, rather than noise, as he led by example with tough-shot making ability, being a willing passer and remaining defensively engaged despite his 6-foot, 175-pound frame.
His all-around abilities fit perfectly with Michigan coach John Beilein’s offense, being the ideal conductor who turned a smart system into a devastating one.
When one looks back at the history of a storied college basketball program, Trey Burke might not have been the biggest, fastest, or most athletic guard, but he certainly may have been the most controlled guard in program history
His college greatness came from marrying skill, IQ, and nerve, and will always go down as someone who produced one of the most memorable single-season guard performances in NCAA history.