Michigan basketball: Hunter Dickinson should stay in college

Michigan basketball’s Hunter Dickinson will have a decision to make and here’s why he should stay at U-M next season. 

In 2020, Michigan basketball debuted their newest talent under the rim — a 7’1 superstar freshman out of Maryland — Hunter Dickinson.

After leading Michigan basketball to a Big Ten title and impressive back-to-back runs in the NCAA tournament, Hunter Dickinson will have a decision to make regarding his basketball career. With many factors building up surrounding Dickinson’s draft prospects, there are a plethora of reasons why the collegiate star should stay in Ann Arbor for at least one more season.

Dickinson’s draft stock

The most significant factor in Dickinson’s decision to stay in college or go pro will be his draft stock. As of right now, Dickinson has little to no draft stock despite being one of the best bigs in the nation.

According to NBA Scouting Live, Dickinson is a projected second-rounder at best, with a significant possibility of going undrafted.

Here is a list of things holding the young center will need to work on to become a legitimate first-round draft choice, or even consider having a long career in the NBA according to the NBA scouting report:

• Take more outside shots
• extend shooting range
• develop more athleticism
• Be more careful on offense
• Turn the ball over less
• Be quicker on defense

These things are easily fixable in college, especially under a coach like Juwan Howard. If Dickinson declares too early, there is a good chance he could have a low ceiling or end up in the G-league for most of his career.

NIL deals

In the past, something that pushed many players to go pro early was the financial side of professional sports. For Dickinson, this is no longer the case. Hunter Dickinson has become a fan favorite with the Wolverines and is a campus legend in Ann Arbor. Anywhere in the state of Michigan, he will be recognized and treated like a celebrity.

With the addition of NIL deals for college athletes (and an increasing level of NIL support from the university), Dickinson will be able to make a good amount of money off of his name and image. Keeping that in mind, there is a good chance that Dickinson will make more money off of his image and have more fame at Michigan than he would in the minor leagues or overseas.

Between Dickinson’s connection to the university, NIL deals, campus fame, and more, the 7’1 center should stay in Ann Arbor for at least another year. The question now: will he leave after the Wolverines’ tournament run ends in 2022?