As Hunter Dickinson watched last year’s Battle 4 Atlantis on television, he scrutinized the tournament with a different perspective than most.
Dickinson, who was a four-star recruit at DeMatha Catholic High School this time last year, paid close attention to Michigan — one of the final suitors in his recruitment alongside Duke, Florida State and Notre Dame. He watched as first-year coach Juwan Howard guided his team to comfortable wins over No. 6 North Carolina and No. 8 Gonzaga, paying special attention to the way he coached.
By the time Michigan hoisted the tournament trophy, Dickinson was sold.