As a 7-foot-1 All-American center, Hunter Dickinson stands out — both literally and figuratively.

When the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year opted to withdraw from the NBA Draft and return to the Michigan basketball team over the summer, he wasn’t shy about his desire to have a true college experience. Given that Dickinson’s first year of college basketball was defined by a global pandemic, online classes, an empty Crisler Center and a desolate campus, the pull of living a normal college life was understandable.

“That was a part of the reason I went to Michigan, the social life here,” Dickinson said in July. “Michigan is just a special place, the community and stuff like that. Obviously, football games are something that everybody in Ann Arbor loves to go to. Having fans at your games is something special, having a crowded arena supporting you is a very good feeling.”

Now, he’s back for a sophomore year. His NBA Draft feedback, namely the development of an outside 3-pointer and right hand in the post, has been well-documented. And if Dickinson takes the next step on the court, the Wolverines could emerge as national title frontrunners this season.

But with the season still more than a week away, that hasn’t happened yet. Dickinson’s campus presence and social life, on the other hand, are in full swing.

“It’s been a lot of fun for me,” Dickinson said at Michigan Media Day. “Being able to go to football games, in-person classes, just interacting with my classmates has been really fun for me because I feel like I’m a really social guy. Those parts of college life have been really fun for me and I’m enjoying (them) a lot.”

It didn’t take long for Coastal Carolina graduate transfer DeVante’ Jones to notice Dickinson’s celebrity status. On Sept. 11, he went with Dickinson to the Wolverines’ football game against Washington.

“It felt like I was with LeBron,” Jones joked. “Every time we’re walking around, people are taking pictures, going to get an autograph. I was proud of Hunter. It made me happy seeing my teammate get so much love because he deserves it. He’s an All-American big. I was happy for him, but I will never go out with Hunter again.”

Added fifth-year guard Eli Brooks: “Hunter’s very noticeable. He has a big personality, a lot of people are (driven) towards him. He’s a good guy. Especially not having fans last year, not having all the students on campus, it was a little different. Having all the students back and people recognizing who Hunter is, it’s been pretty hectic.”

Another non-basketball factor that influenced Dickinson’s decision to return was the enactment of NCAA name, image and likeness legislation. Once he got the green light to earn money off his own name, Dickinson launched a “Big Dickinson Energy” line of merchandise.

Just before taking the podium for the Wolverines’ Media Day, he changed into a shirt from his own collection and went out of his way to advertise for it during his availability. He estimated that he’s agreed to somewhere between eight to 10 NIL deals thus far and praised the rule change for putting some extra money in student-athletes’ pockets.

But in Ann Arbor, Dickinson still can’t put a price tag on the college experience.

“I’ve been really happy with my decision,” Dickinson said. “I’ve really enjoyed coming back for another year, especially because it’s a little more of a normal year. It’s a lot of fun for me.”