‘The window is definitely open’: Hunter Dickinson explains what he’s looking for in NBA Draft process

Hunter Dickinson took plenty of time once the season was over, waiting until this week to declare for the NBA Draft.

The star freshman big man waited almost as long as possible with the May 30 deadline to declare for the draft right around the corner. Though he has declared, Dickinson has also maintained his eligibility and will have until July 7 to decide on whether he will stay at Michigan or continue into the draft.

In a Friday interview with BTN’s Andy Katz, Dickinson shared his thoughts on the entire process. He went on to say that the window is definitely open to a return to Ann Arbor, something that was a key part of his decision-making process:

“The window’s definitely open. That’s why I was big on trying to get an NCAA-certified agent,” explained Dickinson. “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.”

When asked what would keep him in the draft, Dickinson was forthright in pointing out that he wants to be solid as a first-round draft pick before coming out of school:

“Probably, you know, I would like to be a first-round pick. That’s something that’s my goal,” said Dickinson. “I’m not trying to be a late-second round or undrafted guy, just because I have that year to come back. So I’m not trying to force going to the NBA, but if the opportunity presents itself, then I’ll certainly take advantage of it.”

Dickinson appeared in 28 games (23 starts) as a freshman while leading the Wolverines in scoring (14.1 points), rebounds (7.4), and blocks (1.4) while shooting 60% from the floor. Stay tuned to see if Dickinson will be back for another year at Michigan or off to the NBA.

Paul Harvey

Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.