LAWRENCE, Kan. – Center Hunter Dickinson, considered the top player in the 2023 transfer portal, has transferred to Kansas, KU men’s basketball coach Bill Self announced today. Dickinson will be a senior and is immediately eligible to compete for the Jayhawks during the 2023-24 season.
Dickinson, 7-foot-1, 260 pounds, is transferring to Kansas from Michigan, where he was a Consensus All-America Second Team selection in 2022-23. The Alexandra, Virginia, native is a three-time All-Big Ten selection, including first team honors in 2021 and 2023. Dickinson led Michigan in scoring and rebounding each of the last three seasons, including 18.5 points per game and 9.0 rebounds per contest in 2022-23. Last season, he posted three games of 30-plus points and 14 games of 20 or more points, including a season-high 32 points versus Maryland (1/1/23). He also led Michigan with 14 double-doubles, a 56.0 field goal percentage, 60 blocked shots and 161 free throw attempts.
“We’re excited. We’ve recruited some really good players over time, but we’ve never recruited anybody who has averaged 17 points a game over three seasons at a Big Ten school like the University of Michigan,” Self said. “He obviously the most-ready made player to step in and put up All-American-type numbers right off the bat than we have ever recruited.”
Dickinson was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and a Big Ten All-Freshman Team member in 2021. A two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection in 2022 and 2023, Dickinson scored 1,617 points while at Michigan for a 17.2 points per game average. His 787 all-time rebounds average 8.4 boards per game for his career, and he has amassed 31 career double-doubles and 149 all-time blocked shots.
“Hunter has great size at 7-foot-1,” Self said. “He shot 42 percent from three-point range last year. He needs to advance his game more on the perimeter to probably fit in what today’s NBA big men look like and we are excited to work with him on that.
“He’s been well drilled. He’s been well coached. He’s played at the highest level. He’s guarded the best big men in the country. For him to come to Kansas and come to the Big 12 definitely enhances our outlook for next year’s team being able to do some special things immediately.”
With the addition of Dickinson, Kansas now has seven newcomers set to join the program for the 2023-24 season. He joins Marcus Adams Jr. (G, 6-8, 205, Torrance, California), Elmarko Jackson (G, 6-3, 185, Marlton, New Jersey, South Kent School [Conn.]), Chris Johnson (G, 6-4, 180, Fort Bend, Texas, Montverde Academy [Fla.]) Jamari McDowell (G, 6-4, 180, Manvel, Texas, Manvel High School), Arterio Morris (G, 6-3, 190, Dallas, Texas, Kimball HS/Texas) and Nicolas Timberlake (G, 6-4, 205, Braintree, Mass., Kimball Union Academy/Towson).
Dickinson, 7-foot-1, 260 pounds, is transferring to Kansas from Michigan, where he was a Consensus All-America Second Team selection in 2022-23. The Alexandra, Virginia, native is a three-time All-Big Ten selection, including first team honors in 2021 and 2023. Dickinson led Michigan in scoring and rebounding each of the last three seasons, including 18.5 points per game and 9.0 rebounds per contest in 2022-23. Last season, he posted three games of 30-plus points and 14 games of 20 or more points, including a season-high 32 points versus Maryland (1/1/23). He also led Michigan with 14 double-doubles, a 56.0 field goal percentage, 60 blocked shots and 161 free throw attempts.
“We’re excited. We’ve recruited some really good players over time, but we’ve never recruited anybody who has averaged 17 points a game over three seasons at a Big Ten school like the University of Michigan,” Self said. “He obviously the most-ready made player to step in and put up All-American-type numbers right off the bat than we have ever recruited.”
Dickinson was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and a Big Ten All-Freshman Team member in 2021. A two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection in 2022 and 2023, Dickinson scored 1,617 points while at Michigan for a 17.2 points per game average. His 787 all-time rebounds average 8.4 boards per game for his career, and he has amassed 31 career double-doubles and 149 all-time blocked shots.
“Hunter has great size at 7-foot-1,” Self said. “He shot 42 percent from three-point range last year. He needs to advance his game more on the perimeter to probably fit in what today’s NBA big men look like and we are excited to work with him on that.
“He’s been well drilled. He’s been well coached. He’s played at the highest level. He’s guarded the best big men in the country. For him to come to Kansas and come to the Big 12 definitely enhances our outlook for next year’s team being able to do some special things immediately.”
With the addition of Dickinson, Kansas now has seven newcomers set to join the program for the 2023-24 season. He joins Marcus Adams Jr. (G, 6-8, 205, Torrance, California), Elmarko Jackson (G, 6-3, 185, Marlton, New Jersey, South Kent School [Conn.]), Chris Johnson (G, 6-4, 180, Fort Bend, Texas, Montverde Academy [Fla.]) Jamari McDowell (G, 6-4, 180, Manvel, Texas, Manvel High School), Arterio Morris (G, 6-3, 190, Dallas, Texas, Kimball HS/Texas) and Nicolas Timberlake (G, 6-4, 205, Braintree, Mass., Kimball Union Academy/Towson).
