Analyst crowns Kansas basketball's Hunter Dickinson as nation's top big man

The Kansas basketball team will enter the 2024-25 season as one of the top squads in the country after suffering Round of 32 eliminations each of the past two seasons. Head coach Bill Self assembled one of the most loaded rosters in KU history this year.

While there are a handful of all-conference players on the Jayhawks, the return of superstar center Hunter Dickinson firmly put them back in championship contention. The fifth-year senior was a Second Team Consensus All-American in his first year donning crimson and blue, and he could compete for NPOY again. It should come as no surprise that longtime college basketball analyst Andy Katz ranked Dickinson the No. 1 big man in the nation.

Hunter Dickinson recognized as country's top big man by Andy Katz

"The 2024 Second Team All-America center returns to Kansas for a final season in college basketball and his second season with the Jayhawks. The 7-foot-2 big man spent his first three seasons with Michigan before transferring to Bill Self's program last year. Dickinson averaged 17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds for the Jayhawks in 2023-24. "

- Andy Katz

Entering Year 2 in Lawrence, Dickinson has the experience and talent to cement himself as one of the best Jayhawks to touch Allen Fieldhouse in recent history. Katz listed him among the likes of Ryan Kalkbrenner, Johni Broome, and Graham Ike, so he clearly thinks highly of the former Michigan Wolverine.

Things were up and down for Kansas last year, but Dickinson was one of the few steady pieces on the roster. He averaged 17.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists on 54.8%/35.4%/62.4% shooting splits. His dominant statistics earned him a spot on the All-Big 12 First Team.

Dickinson has a much better supporting cast now, with transfers AJ Storr, Zeke Mayo, and Rylan Griffen expected to take the load off him offensively. His final season of college eligibility could be his best yet.