Squadron’s Dickinson Continues Strong Debut In Pro Basketball
By Steve Irvine
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - January 23, 2025
Hunter Dickinson’s first full season experience in professional basketball comes as a member of the Birmingham Squadron.
The 7-foot-1 center established himself as one of college basketball’s best big men over a five-year trip through college basketball at the University of Michigan and the University of Kansas. He went undrafted in the NBA draft before signing a two-way contract with the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans. After playing in the NBA opener for the Pelicans, Dickinson joined the organization’s NBA G League affiliate in Birmingham.
On Wednesday, not long after the Squadron practiced to prepare for Thursday’s G League home contest against the Cleveland Charge at Legacy Arena, Dickinson was asked his thoughts about professional players returning to college basketball. Just last Saturday, Charles Bediako was in town with the Motor City Cruise for a G League game against the Squadron. Bediako scored four points in five minutes in that game. Five days later, it appears that, at least for now, Bediako is once again a college basketball player for the University of Alabama.
“Yeah, I think it's pretty crazy,” said Dickinson, who had 17 points, nine rebounds and six assists against the Cruise. “I mean, if I would have known that you were able to do that, I might have left after my freshman or sophomore year and tried to come back. The reason I stayed five years is because I knew once I left, I wasn't able to come back. Now that's not the case. I think I was definitely interested in that because at the end of the day college sports was supposed to be for athletes coming from high school to grow up into their game (and enjoy) college life. I think now it's kind of lost the plot in that. I think a lot of universities, coaches, they're kind of losing the development of the player in college and really just trying to get wins.”
Dickinson, obviously had a different experience. He took the long road through college. Dickinson played in 161 college basketball games with 156 starts in three years at Michigan and two more at Kansas. He nearly averaged a career double with an average of 17.4 points and 9.2 rebounds, played in four NCAA Tournaments, was a two-time consensus second-team All-American and closed his career being selected as a third team All-American by the Associated Press and United States Basketball Writers Association.
“It was pretty fun,” said Dickinson, who earned two college degrees. “Like, I definitely have no regrets doing it. I feel like I did alright during my five years. I loved my experience at Michigan and then being able to go to school in Kansas to be able to play there for two years, I think I had a very special and fortunate career. I was able to do a lot of things, got a lot of accolades, won a lot of games. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. I definitely feel like it's made me who I am as a person and as a basketball player.”
After going undrafted, Dickinson signed a two-way contract with New Orleans on the day after the draft. Dickinson made his regular season debut with the Pelicans in their opening game of the season. He had two points, a blocked shot and two turnovers in five minutes on the floor during a loss at Memphis.
“I think I was very fortunate, just to be able to get that experience,” Dickinson said. “I think having that experience and being able to live through that, it's an incredible feeling, one that not a lot of people get to experience. I'm just super grateful and fortunate to be able to do that. Hopefully, you know, in the near future, I'll be able to experience more of it.”
Two days after his first NBA game, with the Pelicans front court healthy once again, Dickinson was sent to the Squadron. He made his G League regular season debut against the Austin Toros, contributing 11 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. After 24 games, which includes the G League Tip-Off Tournament and the regular season, he is averaging 16.9 points, 11.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. He has 14 double-doubles, including contributing 23 points and 22 rebounds against Delaware, and flirted with a triple-double with 27 points, 19 rebounds and eight assists against Rio Grande Valley.
Despite the successful start, it has been an adjustment.
“It's just a different game,” Dickinson said. “The spacing is different. The players are so good that the floor is a lot more open than in college. There's a lot more helping and playing off your man in the G League. Even the worst players were really good on their college teams. Definitely, as you go up in basketball, there's adjustments to every level. I think now I'm starting to get more used to playing up to this level and getting accustomed to it.”
For those who have not watched the G League, there is often a misconception of the talent level on the floor.
“It’s kind of flown under the radar sometimes with how talented these guys in the G League,” Dickinson said. “Like I said earlier, every G League team is made up of guys from the NBA who are just kind of trying to breakthrough in their role or guys who dominated in college and are trying to be NBA players. It's a collection of some of the best players in the world. Like the NBA is the top 400-500 players and if you're in the G League, you're probably in the top 2,000, at least, basketball players in the world. Maybe even better than that, so it's still an incredible achievement.”
The Squadron is closing out a long homestand with three games in six days at Legacy Arena. The Squadron lost to the Cleveland Charge, 113-104, on Thursday night and plays host to Cleveland again on Saturday at 6 p.m. The Squadron follows with a home game against Sioux Falls Skyforce on Wednesday at 7 p.m. before heading back on the road.