By all accounts, Michigan center Hunter Dickinson is the nation’s No.1 player in the transfer portal. Dickinson entered the portal after three seasons with the Wolverines and two first-team All-Big Ten nods. He also was the 2021 Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Last season, Dickinson averaged 18.5 points and 9.0 rebounds while shooting 56% from the field and 42.1% from three.
As his recruitment has heated up, Kansas, Georgetown, Maryland, and Villanova are legit contenders to land the seven-foot-one big man. Georgetown and Maryland are intriguing options.
Before starring at Michigan, Dickinson played at DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland. The school is a half-and-hour drive to Georgetown’s campus and eight minutes from Maryland’s.
Dickinson visited Georgetown on Saturday before checking out Maryland on Sunday. He’ll visit Kansas on Thursday, according to On3.
Georgetown looking to get back to prominence with Dickinson
Georgetown is looking to get back to prominence. Last month, the school parted ways with head coach Patrick Ewing, a Hoyas legend on the court from 1981-1985. Georgetown pried Ed Cooley from Providence to replace Ewing.
Since his arrival, Cooley has landed three top-100 transfers — guards Rowan Brumbaugh (Texas) and Jayden Epps (Illinois) and forward Dontrezl Styles (North Carolina). Adding Dickinson would endure Cooley to Georgetown fans. Cooley already proclaimed the program will win a national championship soon. Dickinson would be a huge building block toward that goal.
Can Maryland make up for its past miss?
Meanwhile, Dickinson has a history with Maryland. Michigan and Maryland are Big Ten Conference foes. Dickinson had repeatedly reminded the college basketball world of his perception of Maryland’s recruitment of him in high school.
To Dickinson, there was no recruiting by then-head coach Mark Turgeon despite being a top local recruit, playing a straightaway drive down the road. Although former Maryland assistant Dustin Clark says otherwise. Fact or fiction, Dickinson has used Maryland’s lack of interest as fuel. At Michigan, he scored more points against Maryland than any other team.
Dickinson averaged 19.3 points, and 8.3 rebounds in six games against Maryland. But Turgeon is no longer with the program. Kevin Willard replaced Turgeon this season as the Terrapins’ head coach.
Coming off a 20-win season and NCAA tourney appearance in his first year, Willard has focused on grabbing from rich talent in the DMV region. Maryland hired assistant coach Mike Jones earlier this month from Virginia Tech. Before joining the college coaching ranks, Jones was the head coach at DeMatha. Jones was Dickinson’s head coach there.
Destined for Rock Chalk?
Hunter Dickinson is entertaining staying close to home. However, there is no denying Kansas is the most prominent program of the top candidates. Kansas is fresh off a national championship in 2022. The Jayhawks were a No. 1 seed in this year’s NCAA tournament before getting upset by Arkansas in the Round of 32.
Bill Self, Kansas’ head coach, has recovered from a heart ailment and looking to retool his team for another run toward a national title next season. Landing Dickinson gives Kansas an elite presence in the post.
Recruiting website On3 projects Kansas has a 62% chance of gaining Dickinson’s commitment. Then, there is Villanova. While the Wildcats don’t get mentioned as much as the other prospective schools, Villanova is considered a serious contender to Dickinson.
Coincidentally, Villanova guard Justin Moore was Dickinson’s teammate at DeMatha.
All four teams would love to have Dickinson. In the era of NIL, it may come down to who can provide the best opportunity in that area. Till an official announcement, fans of Georgetown, Maryland, Kansas, and Villanova will clamor at every piece of hope about Hunter Dickinson.
