MLive article about Dickinson's decision to enter the portal
A few key takeaways:
• The article's title is misleading. It says "Why did Michigan's Hunter Dickinson enter the transfer portal," BUT the writer has no answer. After starting with why Hunter "had chose" Michigan originally, he only suggests the speculation we've all seen, that Dickinson may be seeking a better spot to chase a championship.
• However, the article DOES add things I hadn't seen, including responses from Phil Martelli and Sandi Washington. The gist of their response—following Coach Howard's lead to always support the players—is that they wish him well and remain in contact.
• He did alert the coaches but not all his teammates before word got out.
• The bond between Dickinson and Howard apparently remains strong.
I'm not sure what Hunter's legacy will be at Michigan.
One of the best and most accomplished players to ever step on the court
if he comes back? for certain.
if not, I guess we can't be surprised at the Heel Turn of NCAAMB Heel Turns
In 3 years he's already supplanted himself as one of the 15 to 20 most accomplished players to suit up in AA. If he comes back, should be top 10 pretty easily imo. I don't even like the guy to be honest, but he's a undeniable on the court.
Yeah he'd finish fringe top 5 in scoring if he played a full year and averaged the same as his last two years. He'd also have a shot at Rudy T's career rebounding record*.
Sidenote, as I was looking up our career stats leaders I saw Glen Rice shot 51.6% from three in '88-'89 on 190 attempts. I knew he was great but good lord.
*With an asterisk, freshmen were ineligible when Rudy played.
That '88-'89 team was really something. I can't remember where the 3-point line was, but Rumeal and Higgins were both pretty good from range, too:
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/michigan/men/1989.html
It was the same 3 point line that middle school boys and girls used, and nobody ever shot a deep 3.
It was 19'9".
I was surprised to see Terry Mills only attempted 4 3-pointers in college. After a few years in the NBA it kind of became his thing averaging a high of 5.3 3-point attempts per game in 96-97 with the Pistons.
Get in line.
When I tell people he is underrated and they need some more proof I ask them who is their favorite Bball player. Then we look up their career scoring game. Then I tell them Glen Rice did that for 6 games on his way to leading us to our only championship. Its kind of crazy.
Sarah Palin agrees.
April 11th, 2023 at 11:42 AM ^
Famous and infamous for banging 3s.
He supplanted himself??
So is he gone for sure or does the new roster change the equation?
It was comfortable knowing that his shots close to the rim felt automatic.
Anybody here remember Mike McGee? He led the Wolverine and the B1G in scoring back when I was in school but never led us to the tournament or a B1G championship.
My guess is Hunter’s legacy will be similar to Mike’s. Remembered affectionately by those who were there when he played, largely forgotten by everyone else.
Except Hunter led us to a BIG 10 championship (as a freshman), 2 sweet 16's and was 2x 1st team All B10, 1x 2nd team All B10, and 2nd team All American. Plus Hunter has been so polarizing as a personality that I think he'll be hard to forget
I'd say he was the third best player on the '21 team (behind Franz Wagner and Isaiah Livers). He was the best player on the team the last two years, but those teams didn't do as well, and probably won't be that remembered.
All-conference stuff is mostly about reputation. Franz didn't even make the B1G all-defense team, which tells you a lot about how qualified the voters are.
Hunter was more good than great. He put up good counting stats but was a poor defender and doesn't seem to have been much of a team leader. In the long run I don't think he's going to be remembered that much. The buzzer-beater against Wisconsin is the only really memorable play of his I can come up with, and coming in NIT season, it's not that iconic.
If he'd stayed to the end of his eligibility, he'd finish really high on the all-time charts. He's giving up that chance, and in the end, what he did doesn't really move the needle.
Mike McGee was one of the best players to wear a Michigan basketball uniform. He was a senior when I was a freshman. Came in right after the 77 team that should have won a championship but ran into Cornbread Maxwell in the Elite Eight.
Edit: Was going to say he never made a tourney team but read your post wrong. 🍻
He was there when i went there as well. What I remember was that he was kind of a ball hog, jacking up shots from everywhere. Maybe there weren’t very many other options on that team though.
This just isn't true, unless by "one of the best" includes the set of every player who ever started a game here.
Your recency bias is clouding your ability to see the entirety of his accomplishments at UM. He was the best player the second he stepped on the court for us. Don't have to like the guy to recognize his accomplishments
I think you may be the one afflicted with recency bias.
Hunter was good, yes. Was he as good as Webber? Howard? Traylor? Mo Wagner? Tarpley? Hubbard? Rudy T? No.
When did I say he was better than any of those guys? I said he's at least top 15 to 20. Definitely had a better career than Tractor did at Michigan though
It feels like you may be a little scorned by this past seasons team success and Hunters decision to enter the portal.
No. I just think he was good, but not an all-time great. The guys I named above were all post players. If he wasn't better than them (which you seem to agree with), it's pretty tough for him to be in the top 15-20 when you factor in all the guards and wings we've had.
I think he was best off in his role as a freshman, when he was the third best player behind Franz and Livers. He was not an alpha guy to put a team on his back and lead it to big things. The biggest reason for that was that he simply wasn't good at the defensive end.
We were successful on D his frosh year in large part because Franz was a pterodactyl who played unreal help defense. Franz is the best player we've had in the Juwan Howard era.
Add Bill Buntin to the list of centers better than Hunter Dickinson. I agree HD was 'good' but not a top 25 player in the history of UofM BB.
Was he as good as Webber? Howard? Traylor? Mo Wagner? Tarpley? Hubbard? Rudy T?
Cazzie, Rose, Rice, Trae ...
That is a serious stretch. I'm not sure if is one of the best 20 in the past ~ 30 years. Just off the top of my head I have a good number as better and more impactful than hunter.
Dickinson wouldn't have his same numbers, awards, or regard before the one era. Similar logic holds true for teams like the fab five and the 2013 team. Some of the dark age players don't get their due because the teams were trash. Manny Harris, Lavell Blanchard, Deshawn Sims, and Daniel Horton come to mind here.
-Tarpley
- Mills
- Cassie because he built our house
- Rice
- Webber
- Rose
- Howard
- Tractor Traylor
- Mo Taylor
- Louis Bullock
- Lavelle Blanchard
- Manny Harris
- Sauce
- THJ
- Jamal Crawford*
- Mitch McGary*
- Trey Burke
- GR3
- Caris Levert
- Mo Wagner
There are probably another ~10 that you could make a case for
Franz Wagner didn't have as a big personality as his brother, but was a better all-around player.
I went back and forth on Franz, Walton, and Livers. Franz and Walton were better and more important. Livers won’t be remembered the way as hunter, but was probably more important and was on winning teams
Livers was a heart and soul player who was a clear and dominant leader-in every good way...the consummate team player. Isaiah played both ends of the court with equal and great effort and he made his teammates better. That is for starters.
Edit: "His" teams played at a 105-32 clip and those teams made the Sweet Sixteen, the Elite Eight and the Final Four.
As far as accomplishments, Hunter beats the majority of guys on that list.
It's just facts people. Look em up
Henry Wilmore and Campy Russell should be on this list
Easily for both.
In the top 100, maybe a bit higher.
He asked for more cowbell. He cried out for more cowbell. Did he truly get all the cowbell he demanded?
More cowbell? I don't get it. Is this some pop culture reference? Is there some video or something that could explain this "more cowbell" of which you speak?
The article also mentioned he had hoped his #1 jersey would be retired and hung in the rafters of Crisler. Despite all he did for Michigan, that seems unlikely unless he decides to return.
If true he is delusional, and I am a Hunter fan. If Trey Burke and his NCAA run and NPOY awards doesn’t do it then Hunter isn’t even close to deserving. I wish him well…
GTFOH, he can’t be serious.
Retire his number?! He was a very good player, but that's about it. He never made a Final Four, let alone win player of the year award while leading the team to a national title game like Burke did. Speaking of Burke, why haven't we retired his number? Is it because he didn't stay four years at Michigan? No great player does that anymore so you can't hold it against him.
I think you have to have graduated first.
Yeah, this would be a stretch
The context is that he once aspired to having his jersey retired, not that he expected it.
He may hope that, but it ain’t happening