Why Bill Self says Jayhawks have ‘never recruited anybody’ like Hunter Dickinson
Hunter Dickinson is officially a member of Kansas’ 2023-24 men’s basketball team.
KU coach Bill Self on Friday reported the KU compliance office’s completion of paperwork involving the program’s addition of Dickinson, a 7-foot-1, 260-pound senior-to-be who played three seasons at Michigan before entering the transfer portal on March 31.
“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 Friday in a release. “He is obviously the most ready-made player to step in and put up All-American-type numbers right off the bat that we have ever recruited.”
Dickinson will be a senior and is immediately eligible to compete for the Jayhawks during the 2023-24 season.
“Hunter has great size at 7-foot-1,” Self said. “He shot 42% 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.”
Dickinson was a consensus second-team All-America 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 averaged 18.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game in 2022-23. Last season he had three games of 30-plus points and 14 games of 20 or more points. He totaled a season-high 32 points against Maryland He also led Michigan with 14 double-doubles, a 56.0% shooting mark with 60 blocked shots.
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. He grabbed 787 rebounds for an 8.4 rebounds average.
“I feel like if you want to be on a winning team, why not choose the most winningest program in college basketball history?” Dickinson said Thursday after announcing for KU over Kentucky, Villanova, Maryland and others. “That’s what I came here for is to try to win another championship for Kansas. I feel we’ve got the players to do it. I don’t think we are all the way done yet with the roster. But right now with the current roster we have I can totally see why we’d be up there as one of the favorites to win (the 2024 national title).”
KU so far has seven newcomers on the 2023-24 roster.
Dickinson is joined by fellow portal additions Nicolas Timberlake (Towson) and Arterio Morris (Texas). KU has added freshmen Marcus Adams (G, 6-8, 205, Torrance, California), Elmarko Jackson (G, 6-3, 185, Marlton, New Jersey, South Kent School Connecticut), Chris Johnson (G, 6-4, 180, Fort Bend, Texas, Montverde Academy Florida) and Jamari McDowell (G, 6-4, 180, Manvel, Texas, Manvel High School).
KU returns Dajuan Harris, KJ Adams and Ernest Udeh off last year’s team. The Jayhawks have lost seven players to the transfer portal: Kyle Cuffe, Zuby Ejiofor, Bobby Pettiford, Cam Martin, MJ Rice, Zach Clemence and Joseph Yesufu.
KU has two scholarships left to give in recruiting.
