All-American Dickinson going back to Jayhawks
-
Jeff Borzello, ESPN
- Personnel WriterApr 26, 2024, 03:48 PM ET Close Basketball recruiting expert.
- Joined ESPN in 2014.
- Graduate of University of Delaware.All-America center Hunter Dickinson announced Friday he prepares to return to Kansas for his final year of eligibility, most likely strengthening the Jayhawks as the preseason No. 1 group in men’s college basketball.Dickinson, a 7-foot-2 senior, has been among the most dominant and efficient big guys in the country during his college career. This past season, he averaged 17.9 points and a career-high 10.9 rebounds, which ranked 8th nationally– en route to making second-team All-America and first-team All-Big 12 honors.Editor’s Picks He produced huge single-game efficiencies, opting for 27 points and 21 rebounds versus Kentucky; 17 points and 20 rebounds versus Tennessee; and 30 points and 11 rebounds against TCU. Dickinson likewise ended up with 19 points, 20 boards, five helps and 4 blocks in Kansas’ first-round NCAA tournament win over Samford. He had 17 double-doubles on the season.Dickinson spent 3 seasons at Michigan before moving last spring and joining Bill Self’s program in Lawrence. He was a second-team All-American as a freshman in 2021 and averaged 17.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks and shot 57%from the field in 94 games with the Wolverines.His return comes on the same day Kansas reeled in Alabama
transfer Rylan Griffen, its 4th transfer addition of the offseason. Griffen signed up with Zeke Mayo(South Dakota State ), Riley Kugel(Florida)and AJ Storr (Wisconsin)in the Jayhawks ‘star-studded portal class.Dickinson and the incoming transfers will team with returning starters Dajuan Harris Jr. and K.J. Adams in a knowledgeable and balanced rotation. Self also brings in top-50 employees Flory Bidunga and Rakease Passmore.Kansas got in last season at No. 1 in the preseason AP poll, however the Jayhawks’ lack of depth and constant
shooting eventually doomed their national championship hopes.