After an exciting freshman season, Hunter Dickinson is ready for an encore.
On Tuesday, the 7-foot-1 Dickinson withdrew his name from the NBA Draft ahead of Wednesday’s deadline, opting instead to return to Michigan for his sophomore season, as first reported by Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports and confirmed by Dickinson himself.
In May, Dickinson initially announced that he would be testing the NBA waters while hiring an NCAA-certified agent in order to retain his college eligibility, leaving the door ajar for a potential return.
At the end of June, Dickinson participated in the NBA’s G-League Elite Camp, competing in a series of scrimmages and physical tests alongside prospects. However, he was not among the 60 players selected to participate in the NBA Draft combine, widely considered an important benchmark for draft hopefuls. The two events occurred simultaneously.
Dickinson’s decision solidifies Michigan as a championship contender, bolstering an already talented roster. With a year of collegiate experience under his belt, Dickinson seems poised to be one of the nation’s most-dominant players.
As a freshman, Dickinson burst onto the scene with relatively few hiccups, averaging 14.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. In his second year, he will likely look to elevate his game to the next level by adding a consistent outside jump shot to his arsenal and developing his non-dominant (right) hand.
Dickinson’s announcement comes less than 24 hours after DeVante’ Jones, a transfer from Coastal Carolina, also decided to withdraw from the draft in favor of playing out his senior season in Ann Arbor. Now, with Jones and Dickinson in the fold, Michigan appears all the more formidable.