Hunter Dickinson named Michigan MVP at postseason celebration

Sophomore center Hunter Dickinson and fifth-year senior guard Eli Brooks combined for seven of the 12 Wolverine honors handed out Wednesday (April 20) at the Michigan men’s basketball postseason celebration. Dickinson captured the bygone when he was named U-M’s Bill Buntin Most Valuable Player.

Dickinson also earned the Rudy Tomjanovich Most Improved Player Award and the Loy Vaught Rebounding Award.

RELATED: Michigan basketball – Portal options, Hunter Dickinson status & more

RELATED: DeVante’ Jones – Frankie Collins is next great Michigan point guard

For a second straight season, the big man led the Michigan in scoring (18.6 points per game) and rebounding (8.6 rebounds per game). He became only the fourth Wolverine to record multiple seasons as U-M’s leader in both scoring and rebounding (Tomjanovich, three times; Roy Tarpley, three; LaVell Blanchard, four).

An All-Big Ten second team selection, Dickinson notched a team-best 15 20-plus point games, including a career-best 33 points against Michigan State (March 1). He added 12 games of 10-plus rebounds, including tying a career-best with 15 twice — at Penn State (Feb. 8) and vs. Villanova (March 24). Dickinson tallied 11 double-doubles, including five in the last seven games of the season.

Dickinson also had career-bests for three-point field goals (21), rebounds (274, 8.6 rpg), free throw percentage (80.2 percent), assists (73, 2.3 apg), blocks (49), steals (15) and minutes (1,031, 32.2 mpg).

U-M’s lone captain Brooks was awarded four accolades: the Wayman Britt Outstanding Defensive Player Award, the Thad Garner Leadership Award, the Iron Man Award and the Award for Outstanding Free Throw Shooting (87.7 percent; 71-for-81).

Brooks leaves Ann Arbor as the all-time leader in games played (159) and career wins (124). He used the COVID-19 extra year of eligibility to average a career-best 12.8 points and 3.7 rebounds while playing a team-best 35.9 minutes per game. He made a career-high 56 three-pointers and swiped a career-best 40 steals.

During his final season, Brooks became the 56th Michigan player to reach 1,000 points, finishing with 1,157.

Brooks helped the Wolverines to a Big Ten regular season title (2021), a Big Ten Tournament title (2018), an NCAA Final Four appearance (2018) and a national title game appearance as well as three straight trips to the Sweet 16 (2020 was canceled due to COVID-19).

Sophomore Terrance Williams II came off the bench for 15.5 minutes per game, earning the Michigan Sixth Man of the Year. He averaged a career-best 4.7 points and drained 20 three-pointers after he made just one as a freshman. Williams also pulled in a career-best 73 rebounds (2.4 rpg), including 20 on the offensive end.

Graduate guard DeVante’ Jones was awarded the Gary Grant Award for Most Assists. Jones led U-M with 151 assists (4.6 apg) to go with his 10.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

Sophomore guard Jace Howard and freshman forward Moussa Diabate shared the Steve Grote Hustle Award, while senior guard Adrien Nunez was the recipient of the Travis Conlan Sportsmanship Award. For his work in the classroom, freshman Frankie Collins was given the Morgan/Bodnar Brothers Award for Academic Achievement.

Michigan closed the 2021-22 season with a 19-15 overall record and an 11-9 record in Big Ten Conference play, marking U-M’s seventh straight season with 10-plus conference victories. The Wolverines earned the No. 11 seed in the South Region of the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the fifth straight year following opening weekend wins over No. 6 Colorado State and No. 3 Tennessee.

Michigan is one of just two programs, along with Gonzaga (seven straight), to reach the last five-straight Sweet 16s.

2022 Michigan Men’s Basketball Awards

Bill Buntin Most Valuable Player: Hunter Dickinson

Wayman Britt Outstanding Defensive Player: Eli Brooks

Travis Conlan Sportsmanship Award: Adrien Nunez

Rudy Tomjanovich Most Improved Player: Hunter Dickinson

Sixth Man Award: Terrance Williams II

Steve Grote Hustle Award: Jace Howard & Moussa Diabate

Thad Garner Leadership Award: Eli Brooks

Iron Man Award: Eli Brooks (35.9 mpg)

Award for Outstanding Free Throw Shooting: Eli Brooks (87.7 percent; 71-for-81)

Morgan/Bodnar Brothers Award for Academic Achievement: Frankie Collins

Gary Grant Award for Most Assists: DeVante’ Jones (4.6 apg; 151 assists)

Loy Vaught Rebounding Award: Hunter Dickinson (8.6 rpg)