East Michigan basketball All-American Hunter Dickinson spoke again.
Dickinson on Monday's episode Barstool's Roundball Podcastafter his announcement transfer to kansas discussed its decision to leave Ann Arbor last week.
The 7-foot-1 center, who averaged 18.5 points and nine rebounds as a junior as he was named to the all-Big Ten first team, said there were several factors at play in his choice and certain Naturally he did not do so. Lightly.
“I won't say anything bad about that program because I still love Michigan, I love the program and everything,” Dickinson said, “That's why it was so hard to leave. I didn't really want to leave, I didn't, but I just felt like, man, this was the best decision for me. It took a lot of courage, didn't I?” I don't think people realize how much courage it takes for a guy who's been there for three years, an All-American for the team.
“I had a legacy there and I basically left trying to be selfish and do what's best for me and my career, not what's best for someone else's career.”
Ground: How Juwan Howard Rebuilt The Michigan Basketball Roster For 2023-24
Then, of course there are basketball reasons. With the addition of Dickinson, widely considered the top player on the transfer portal, the 1-seed Jayhawks once again entered the pre-season Top 5 in last year's NCAA Tournament.
The Wolverines, meanwhile, went 18–16 in Dickinson's final year of the program and missed the NCAA tournament for the second time in 13 seasons. Dickinson said that his final year “sucked because we lost.”
But beyond winning, which Dickinson said was a factor in where he ended up, another important piece was potential name, image and likeness deals — meaning significantly more in Lawrence than last year in Ann Arbor. would be attractive.
Dickinson said, “People who hate me will quit their jobs right now for a $10,000 raise.” “I got in Michigan, under six figures. I got in Michigan under six figures for the year.”
Dickinson, who said he was “relieved” the process was finally over, also considered Kentucky, Villanova, Maryland and Georgetown.
This article was originally published on the Detroit Free Press: Hunter Dickinson explains why he left Michigan, transferred to Kansas