What did Hunter Dickinson say about Michigan? Looking at Kansas center's comments about previous school
Hunter Dickinson enrolled at Michigan as a four-star prospect in 2020 and went on to establish himself as the face of the college basketball program. The center was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2021 and a consensus second-team All-American that season.
However, after three years with the Wolverines, Dickinson transferred to Kansas in May. The decision came as a shock to many fans in Ann Arbor, but his comment on the Michigan basketball program was even more surprising.
On the “Rock Chalk Unplugged” podcast in July 2023, Dickinson took a shot at his former university. While expressing his appreciation for his time at Michigan, a blunt comparison between his time at Ann Arbor and his present destination created some frenzy among fans.
“I feel like at Michigan, they weren’t as nice. They were nice people but not as nice," Dickinson said. "I feel like Michigan is like a fake Midwest. Kansas is actually like a Midwest town. I loved my time in Michigan, but the people here at Kansas are especially nice.”
Why did Hunter Dickinson leave Michigan?
In the era of name, image and likeness, every college athlete wants to take full advantage of their popularity in making financial gains. This led Hunter Dickinson to the exit door at Michigan as the center wanted to capitalize on his talent and make more money through NIL.
In his appearance on Barstool's “Roundball” podcast following his exit in May 2023, Dickinson disclosed that a significant factor in his decision to depart was the potential revenue he could generate through NIL. This wasn’t working for him as he would have loved in Ann Arbor.
"The people hating on me would leave their job right now for a $10,000 increase," Dickinson said. "I got, at Michigan, less than six figures.
"I still do love Michigan. I still love the school and everything. I love the program. That's why it was so hard to leave because I really didn't want to leave, I didn't. But I just felt like, man, it was the best decision for me. It took a lot of courage."
Hunter Dickinson said he had to give up his legacy at Michigan to make the decision that seemed the best for him. He averaged 17.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game during his time with the Wolverines, who are 7-15 this season. He's averaging 18.9 ppg, 11.1 rpg and 2.1 apg at No. 4 Kansas (18-5).