Born in Miami, Florida, McKenzie played college basketball at New York University.

He scored over 1,000 points in his collegiate career, and was inducted into the NYU Hall of Fame in 1984.

[2] He was selected by the Baltimore Bullets in the 11th round of the 1966 NBA draft.

[4] He was traded from the Trail Blazers to the Houston Rockets for Greg Smith on October 27, 1972.

He was married to Vashti Murphy McKenzie, who became the first woman Bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.