Henney was born on November 28, 1979 in Carson City, Michigan. His mother Christine Henney, an American adoptee from Busan, South Korea, was a nurse. His father Philip Henney, an American of British and Irish descent, worked in a factory. He was a star basketball player at Carson City-Crystal High School and led the Eagles to the MHSAA Central region (CSAA) 2nd-place finish during his senior year in 1998 . Henney attended various colleges—including Albion College, Alma College and Elgin Community College—but never completed his college studies due to his burgeoning modeling career.