Hunter Dickinson reveals how close he was to choosing other schools during transfer

Hunter Dickinson ultimately chose Kansas as his transfer destination after a great career at Michigan, but other schools were close.

Dickinson mentioned the recruiting process from Maryland, Kentucky and Villanova. There was a portion of the population that thought Dickinson would go back home and play for the Terrapins.

However, it was one of the toughest choices of his life.

“I was close to literally going to every of the four schools,” Dickinson said on the Barstool Roundball Podcast. “I thought after every visit, I was like okay, ya know, like this is where I want to go. This is why I (needed) to wait for every visit. I was like, damn, I really could go to Kentucky. I think from a standpoint, it’d be a big risk, but also (John Calipari) has a really good record of getting guys to the NBA. This might be the spot for me.

“Then on the other hand, Maryland is home, I could have a hometown legacy, my head coach is there, I really like (Kevin) Willard …   always wanted to go to Maryland, like I always wanted to come home.”

Dickinson also opened up on Villanova’s recruitment.

“Villanova I was like, they have everything that I wanted to do from my game, like from a playing perspective,” Dickinson said. “I like the coaching staff … So I was like, damn. That’s why again, it took so long. It was so hard of a decision. Because it’s like I really thought I could have gone anywhere.”

As far as who was closest, Dickinson wouldn’t say nor would he officially put a school in second place. But it was clear there was some kind of pull to Maryland.

“I’m not gonna say there was a second place but Maryland had a very real chance and I just didn’t feel like it was the right time to come back,” Dickinson said. “I didn’t feel like it was the right time.”

Dickinson averaged 14.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game as a true freshman. He followed that up the next two years by averaging over 18 points per game and over eight rebounds per game in each of the next two seasons. 

The former Michigan star ended his three years in Ann Arbor by averaging 17.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. His play on the floor earned him All-Big Ten honors every year, including two First Team selections, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year honor and a consensus Second Team All-American in 2021.