Michigan Basketball: Could Hunter Dickinson be a one and done?

True freshman Hunter Dickinson is off to a historical start in his Michigan basketball career. Could he actually be a one and done and leave Ann Arbor after this season?

What Hunter Dickinson has done for Michigan basketball this year is mind-blowing. He’s leading the team in points, rebounds, blocks, and field goal percentage. He’s dominant, efficient, and has a high motor.

Most fans knew he’d make an immediate impact this season but absolutely nobody saw this coming. He’s by far the best freshman in the Big Ten. He’s one of the best freshman in the country. He even ranks in the top-ten in the Kenpom national player of the year calculation.

This incredible start by Dickinson has resulted in Michigan basketball fans already starting to speculate about his future. He was always projected to be a 3-4 year college player but is it possible he’s only here for one season? I really don’t think so.

Why Dickinson will stay

We all know how good Dickinson has been. That’s not up for debate. But simply put, the NBA does not value a traditional low post big as high as they do an athletic big with a high upside.

I’m not saying that Dickinson does not have any NBA upside, of course he does. What I am saying is an NBA team will not gamble on a player like him after one season with a first round pick.

The perfect comparison is Luka Garza. A high energy and dominant big man that lacks elite athleticism. Garza dominated college basketball last season and was pretty darn good the two seasons before that. But that type of big man just does not have high NBA Draft value.

If you don’t believe me, go scan through the last few NBA drafts and tell me how many players, guards or big men, with below average athleticism get drafted. You won’t find many. Again, this is not a knock on Hunter Dickinson. It’s just the type of basketball player he is.

If Luka Garza was a four year player for Iowa, I think it’s safe to assume Hunter Dickinson will be a multiyear player for Michigan basketball.

So if you’re one of those fans freaking out over the thought of potentially only having one season of Hunter Dickinson, my advice to you is to relax. I really do see him being a 2-3 year player for the Wolverines.

That’s great news for Michigan, and bad news for the rest of the Big Ten. Hunter Dickinson is just scratching the surface of how good he can be, and if he continues on this trajectory, he can be a true Michigan great.