Hunter Dickinson, the star center from the University of Michigan, made the surprising decision to transfer to the University of Kansas, surprising many in the world of college basketball.

Since his time at Michigan, the 7-1 center had been an important contributor for the Wolverines. Many fans have thought about the potential impact of his choice to switch over to the Kansas Jayhawks, which will affect both teams in the 2023-2024 season.

Before his time at Michigan, Dickinson was a star player at DeMatha Catholic High School where he earned national recognition. His impressive performance, with a high school career average of 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game, led ESPN to rank him as a 4-star recruit and the 41st best player in the class of 2020. These credentials attracted the attention of several Division I programs, including Michigan, Duke, Florida State, and Notre Dame. Hunter would eventually commit to Michigan.

Dickinson had a big impact for the Wolverines while he was there. He was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year after just one season and played a significant role in the team’s victories in the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments. His play at Michigan’s 2022 March Madness tournament,  where he averaged 13.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game, has only helped his developing reputation. Junior Hodari Warfield remembers from the March Madness tournament that “[Dickinson] was a great finisher at the rim and could help Michigan in the paint.”

Kansas will welcome Dickinson’s skills and experience. His towering presence, rebounding skills, and ability to score both inside and outside the paint will offer the Jayhawks a new dimension in their play. Their strength in the Big 12 conference and even in March Madness could be significantly increased by this transfer.