Hunter Dickinson Has Announced that He's Leaving Michigan to Play in Kansas

Following a period of uncertainty about where he might land, Michigan basketball player Hunter Dickinson has announced that he'll be transferring to Kansas for the next basketball season. The 7-foot-1 center has been a star of the Michigan program for the past three seasons, and it was something of a shock when he announced his decision to enter the transfer portal.

Now that the transfer decision has been made, many long-time Michigan fans want to know more about what exactly motivated Hunter's decision to leave Michigan behind.

Hunter entered the transfer portal on March 31, 2023, but he didn't offer any statement or explanation about his decision at that time. As a result, fans were confused, and were unsure why exactly Hunter had made the decision.

On May 3, Hunter finally addressed those questions in a statement, although he didn't get into the details of exactly what factors had played a role in his decision.

"The initial decision for me to enter the portal was the hardest decision I've ever had to make. The thought of potentially leaving the place I love and called home for three years was and is extraordinarily difficult," a post on his Twitter account read. "After conversations with my family and a lot of time in thought, I realized entering the portal was the best decision for myself and my future.

"No matter where I decide to go, after I get my degree in the summer I will always think of myself as a Michigan man," Hunter's statement concluded. "I know the decision to transfer came as a shock, and I hope that with time you can come to understand why I chose to do it."

His statement also said that he knew it was time to move on, and that he'd learned a great deal during his three seasons in Michigan.

After coming off the best season of his career to date, Hunter was seen as one of the top available players through the transfer portal, and there was speculation that he could wind up in Kentucky, at Georgetown, or at a myriad of other schools. Hunter ultimately announced that he would be transferring to Kansas to play under Bill Self, and said in a video making the announcement that his decision had been difficult.

"This decision might have been even harder than the one coming out of high school," Dickinson said in the announcement video. "Then again, it was almost easier in a sense, going through it. ... I'm just really glad it's over now."

What the future holds for Hunter now that he's going to Kansas remains unclear, but his statement to Michigan made it clear that he'll always consider himself a "Michigan Man" even if he ultimately gets his diploma from another school. It's unclear whether Michigan fans will be willing to so quickly forgive and forget what some may view as a betrayal.