McLean accomplishments
75 points from 1,000 12 rebounds from 15th all-time 8th all-time in steals (127) 1st-team all-SoCon (2015-16) All-SoCon tourney
Tre' McLean, now 23, had a message for 18-year-old Tre' on Tuesday.
"Chill out," he said with a chuckle. "Eighteen-year-old Tre' was crazy, wouldn't chill. He was wild and felt like everybody owed him something."
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior and emotional leader of the Mocs' ride during his three seasons with the program pretty much reflect his life: tumultuous, filled with twists and turns, but well worth the journey.
He's not that 18-year-old who spent a season at Queens University in Charlotte. He's a graduate (last spring) of UTC, a communications major who came from humble beginnings to being runner-up for Southern Conference player of the year last season and the preseason favorite this year.
His father, Marvin Curry, died when Tre' was just a year old, causing McLean's older brother LaQuan Johnson to step into a leadership role in his family at a young age. McLean experienced a lot while growing up in Charleston, S.C., usually clinging to LaQuan or his sister Devine for leadership and guidance.
"As a kid, I'd go to school, see people on field trips," McLean said. "My classmates, I'd see their dad there, sometimes both parents there, but my brother was going on field trips with me. I didn't have two parents, but I never felt sorry for myself and never let nobody else feel sorry for me. That was just the way it was."
McLean's mom, Lisa - a fixture at UTC games with her navy No. 23 "McLean" jersey - kept him involved in sports as a boy. Tre' played football, soccer, basketball and baseball, not choosing to focus on basketball until he got to high school.
That paved a way for him to go to Queens, coached at that time by Wes Long.
"I was just excited because somebody thought I was good enough to play for them," McLean said. "I thought I was good in Charleston, but outside of that I didn't know. I had dreams, but I hadn't put myself out there to be recruited, so when Coach Long came in the gym, I was taking any offers because I was just trying to get out of the city any way I could."
Long then followed Will Wade to UTC when the latter was hired as head coach in 2013, and he brought McLean along. The 6-foot-5 guard-forward struggled during his sophomore year but came on strong last season under new head coach Matt McCall, averaging 12.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game and finishing second to Furman's Stephen Croone for player of the year. In addition, the Mocs earned their first trip to the NCAA tournament since 2009 by sweeping the SoCon regular-season and tournament titles.
"It just made me more grateful for the position I'm in now," McLean said. "My mom and sister were happy because it was the first time someone in my family had been on TV for doing something good, especially a male.
"It was the best time of my life. We all did it for each other."
Even when he struggled shooting as a sophomore, McLean's importance on the court was vital. The Mocs were 11-4 in games he started in his first season, and they have a 59-18 record in such games during his career.
"Last year Tre' had such a terrific year," McCall said. "He played with such a chip, an edge, and he turned heads everywhere. Then he turned around this season with all the expectations placed on him and stepped into a leadership role. He brings it, he works so hard at his craft and has grown so much as a person and a teammate. I know when his career is over, no matter what he does, he's going to be fine."
McLean still looks to his sister Devine, who graduated from Bethune-Cookman in 2008, for guidance, even if she doesn't know it. She once told him to "be himself," and he continually thinks about what she would tell him if she were around at any given moment.
Such guidance has helped in his growth from the lanky kid who arrived on campus in 2013 to a much more mature person who will play in front of McKenzie for one final time Saturday against Mercer.
He doesn't know how he'll handle it yet but said his time in Chattanooga has been great for him because it reminded him of playing back home.
"I want people to know I gave it my all," he said. "I gave everything, not just basketball, but gave them everything. I played for the fans, for the city of Chatt. Growing up in Charleston, I played for Charleston because I was raised by the city, I've been everywhere in the city, so I know what it feels like to represent something. Coming to Chatt, Chattanooga embraced me. The fans, I see how much they care about Chattanooga basketball, Chattanooga sports, and that means something to me.
"I just want them to know I gave it my all, because I want them to experience joy."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleyfp.