The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1252590
JUNE/JULY 2020 THE WOLVERINE 25 2 0 2 0 B A S K E T B A L L R E C R U I T I N G I S S U E BY CHRIS BALAS H yattsville (Md.) DeMatha big man Hunter Dickinson had been on former coach John Beilein's radar for a few years before he pledged to Mich- igan Dec. 20 last year, an early Christ- mas present for head coach Juwan Howard. Notre Dame, Florida State and Duke had all been mentioned as more likely possibilities for his commitment before Howard arrived on the scene in Ann Arbor, quickly getting Dickinson's attention. Make no mistake — Dickinson liked Beilein and the U-M program, and he was serious about giving the Wolverines a look. But there was something about Howard's presence and coaching style that stuck with him after a fall visit. "Just how genuine of a guy he is. You can just tell he's a really good guy," Dickinson recalled. "Everything he says is just the truth, really. That's pretty hard to come by these days, to be able to tell if somebody's telling you the truth about stuff. That was one of the things I just noticed right away. "His love for Michigan, being an alumnus from there, you could tell he really enjoyed his time and he would do it again if he had the chance." He proved that in a way when he returned to Michigan to coach, accept- ing the job despite being interviewed for prestigious NBA jobs after spend- ing the last several years as a Miami Heat assistant. There was only one college job he was willing to enter- tain, he said at the time, something he shared with the world at his introduc- tory press conference and with recruits immediately after accepting the gig. He didn't have to say much to Dickinson during the big man's visit, however. It was clear to the pros- pect how much Howard was in his element. Of all the coaches he'd met with during his recruitment, Howard had the most relatable story — al- ways the biggest in his grade, work- ing his way in to a Division I pros- pect at an early age and taking pride in his post moves. He also shined on the biggest stages, something Dickinson has shown a penchant for, as well. At the January Hoophall Classic, one of the most prestigious prep tournaments in the country, Dickinson finished with 28 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots and was named game MVP after dominating then- No. 1-ranked center Evan Mobley, another seven-footer, out of Temec- ula (Calif.) Rancho Christian. He dazzled with an array of post moves and jump shots, and after- wards even added some Howard- type swag by declaring in a national ESPN television interview: "That was [against] your No. 1 player." "Last year I played [elite big man, now Washington freshman] Isaiah Stewart in the same tournament, same place, and I had one of the worst games of my life," Dickin- son remembered. "I couldn't buy a bucket on national TV. It was kind of embarrassing. "I told myself next year I really had to come back to Massachusetts and play differently. It happened to be against the No. 1 player in the coun- try, so it was good timing." And just one of many of his impres- sive accomplishments. Rivals.com's No. 6 center and No. 37 overall re- cruit in the 2020 class led his team to two high school conference champi- onships and became the winningest player in the storied history of De- Matha (119 wins). He also won a Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) Peach Jam title with Team Takeover on the AAU circuit alongside team- mate and fellow U-M freshman-to- be Terrance Williams of Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga. Dickinson was named the Gato- rade Player of the Year in the state of Maryland as a senior, becoming the sixth player from DeMatha to win the award. He was also tabbed as a second-team All-American by Max- Preps, was his conference's Player of the Year and was set to play in the prestigious Jordan Brand Classic in March before it was canceled. On top of all that, Team Takeover head coach Doug Martin noted, he is the consummate team guy, "all in" as a teammate. "If there's going to be one kid that's going to throw himself into the Mich- igan tradition of football games, other school events, the community, it's Hunter," Martin said. "Hunter won't have to be told. That's just who he is. "If he's wearing that jersey, he's 100 percent in with you. He's like that at DeMatha. I know he's going to be that times 100 at Michigan." Dickinson said in late May he couldn't wait to get started. He had been getting shots up during quaran- tine and working on his NBA three- point range, but Ann Arbor was on his mind. "The thing I like the most about it is it's a busy campus, but not too busy overall … just a really good college town," he said. "There's stuff to do, but not too much so it's a distraction." Winning basketball games is the goal, after all, and he is ready to show Michigan fans what he can do. ❑ "If he's wearing that jersey, he's 100 percent in with you. He's like that at DeMatha. I know he's going to be that times 100 at Michigan." Team Takeover head coach Doug Martin on Dickinson Dickinson earned Gatorade Player of the Year honors in the state of Maryland and was tabbed as a second-team All-American by MaxPreps following his senior season. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM CENTER OF ATTENTION 7-2 Signee Hunter Dickinson Is The 2020 Headliner