Michigan Basketball: Not so fast on Hunter Dickinson returning

Hunter Dickinson returning to Michigan basketball, after entering the NBA draft, might not be the sure thing we once thought it could be.

Throughout the offseason, there was an assumption among Michigan basketball fans that Hunter Dickinson was going to return to Ann Arbor for his sophomore season.

After waiting until just a few days before the deadline, Dickinson declared for the NBA draft earlier this week. While it set off an initial wave of panic, the general sentiment was the Hunter was still likely to return to Michigan and that this was more about feedback for the future.

Well, after listening to Dickinson’s interview with Andy Katz on the subject, I’m not so sure that’s the case.

It’s an interesting interview and there are things that should make Michigan basketball fans feel hopeful about his return, such as this quote via 247 sports:

"“The window’s definitely open,” Dickinson said. “That’s why I was big on trying to get an NCAA-certified agent. I wanted guidance in the process, but I also wanted to retain my eligibility. That was very important thing for me just so I could have that safety net of having the opportunity or option of coming back to school.”"

Dickinson is a 7-foot-1 center who was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year after scoring 14 points and grabbing seven rebounds per game.

Most assumed he would be back or that he would look to improve his game in order to become a first-round pick. But, Dickinson definitely has his sights set on the NBA and this statement should make U-M fans a little concerned:

"“The decision for me to enter the draft was a really tough one for me, because I think it was just two great situations for me to either stay in college for another year or try to enter the NBA and become a professional athlete. Both decisions were decisions that I was OK with, so I think that’s why it took me so long. I think my heart was with the NBA, so that’s where I wanted to go.”"

The last sentence: “My heart with was the NBA so that’s where I wanted to go” — caught me off guard. He didn’t say his heart with Michigan and he was just exploring his options.

Obviously, Dickinson loves Michigan. There’s no doubt about that. However, I might have been overly optimistic in saying he was likely to return.

It seems like this decision is much more up in the air and for now, all Michigan basketball fans can do is hope and wait because if Dickinson leaves, the expectations for next season will shift dramatically.