It's Decision Day For Hunter Dickinson

With the NBA draft deadline just one day away, Dickinson is expected to make his decision official on Tuesday.

Michigan's Hunter Dickinson has spent the last several weeks seeking feedback from those within the NBA about his game and where he potentially fits within the 2021 NBA draft.  With the NBA draft deadline just one day away, it now appears that Dickinson is prepared to announce his decision to either return to Michigan or to take his chances in the draft.

According to a report by Josh Henschke of The Michigan Insider, Dickinson is expected to announce his decision on Tuesday afternoon.

Expect some finality on Hunter Dickinson’s next steps at some point this afternoon.

— Josh Henschke (@JoshHenschke) July 6, 2021

When Dickinson announced back in May that he would be exploring his opportunities in the NBA draft, he made clear that he felt he was ready to compete at the next level.

"The decision for me to enter the draft was a really tough one for me because I think it was just two great situations for me to either stay in college for another year or to try and enter the NBA to become a professional athlete," said Dickinson. "I mean, both decisions were decisions that I was ok with - and so that's why I think it took me so long. But I think my heart was with the NBA and so that's where I wanted to go."

Though his heart is with the NBA, Dickinson also left the door open for a return to Michigan depending on the feedback he received from NBA executives.

"The window is definitely open, that's why I was big on trying to get an NCAA certified agent. I wanted guidance in the process but I also wanted to be able to retain my eligibility. That was a very important thing for me just so that I could have that safety net of always having the opportunity or the option to come back to school."

If Dickinson does return to Michigan for the 2021 season, he'll do so as one of the top centers in all of college basketball with a tremendous opportunity to increase his draft stock. During his freshman year, the 7-footer averaged just over 14 points per game and helped lead the Wolverines to a Big Ten championship and a trip to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament. 

While Dickinson was certainly an impact player for the Wolverines, there's no question that there are elements to his game that could be improved upon in order to succeed at the next level. The NBA game has evolved to the point where traditional NBA centers are few and far between, with many big men now able to play around the perimeter and taking defenders off the dribble - two things that Dickinson could spend the next year perfecting. That's exactly what Dickinson was hoping to learn by entering his name into the NBA draft. 

With the announcement of his decision just hours away, Michigan basketball fans are no doubt crossing their fingers and hoping for more good news.