Dickinson The Best Freshman In The League … & One Of The Best In The Nation
Michigan Wolverines basketball center Hunter Dickinson took home the league's Freshman of the Week Award today for the fourth time this year, thanks to his 26-point, 11-rebound performance at Maryland this past Thursday and his 19-point effort last night against Northwestern.
The fact that Dickinson has established himself as the best freshman in the Big Ten has become evident, but what's staggering is how much better he is than all the other first-year players in the league.
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None of the other Big Ten freshmen even compare to Dickinson. He is averaging 16.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, while shooting 71.8 from the field on the year. The 7-1 freshman is not only the best rookie in the conference, but is also establishing himself as one of the better overall players in a league that is loaded with star power.
Dickinson's 71.8 shooting percentage is the best in the Big Ten, while his 8.1 rebounds per game check in sixth and his 16.9 points deadlocked for seventh. His 1.5 blocks per outing are also sixth in the conference.
Two of the candidates who looked like they may potentially challenge Dickinson for the Big Ten's Freshman of the Year Award have faded in recent weeks, in Purdue center Zach Edey and Illinois guard Adam Miller.
Edey was averaging 14 points per game on Dec. 12, while Miller was posting 13.4 points on that same date. Their scoring averages have slipped to 9.1 and 8.9, respectively.
Edey and Miller are both still two of the best freshmen in the conference, but are nowhere near the level Dickinson is currently at.
| Player (Position, Team) | Points per Game | Rebounds per Game | Minutes per Game |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Hunter Dickinson (C, Michigan) |
16.9 |
8.1 |
25.7 |
|
2. Andre Curbelo (G, Illinois)* |
9.7 |
3.4 |
21.6 |
|
3. Zach Edey (C, Purdue) |
9.1 |
4.1 |
14.3 |
|
4. Jonathan Davis (G, Wisconsin) |
7.5 |
4.5 |
23 |
|
5. Adam Miller (G, Illinois) |
8.9 |
1.8 |
24.4 |
|
6. Clifford Omoruyi (C, Rutgers) |
5.3 |
5.8 |
18.5 |
|
7. Keegan Murray (F, Iowa) |
6.5 |
4.3 |
14.5 |
|
8. Zed Key (F, Ohio State) |
6.8 |
3.7 |
14.3 |
|
9. Ty Berry (G, Northwestern) |
7.3 |
2.2 |
15.7 |
It's fair to also throw Dickinson's name into the conversation while discussing the best freshmen in the nation as well. He doesn't quite top the list yet, with several other first-year players around the country putting up spectacular numbers.
Dickinson's 16.9 points per game are deadlocked for fourth in college basketball amongst freshman scorers, trailing only LSU guard Cameron Thomas' 24.6, Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham's 18.7 and Wyoming guard Marcus Williams' 17.2.
The two players Dickinson is tied with are names that are quite familiar to Michigan fans — Arkansas forward Moses Moody and Arizona State guard Josh Christopher, both of whom were at or near the top of U-M head coach Juwan Howard's 2020 recruiting board.
Dickinson's 8.1 rebounds per game, meanwhile, rank fourth in the nation amongst freshmen, behind Arkansas State forward Norchad Omier's 11.2, Washington State center Efe Abogidi's 9.0 and Duke forward Jalen Johnson's 8.2.
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