Hunter Dickinson Transitions to New Career Path Following Kansas Basketball Exit

“A remarkable career. Thank you, Hunter Dickinson.” This was the reaction from the official March Madness Twitter account following Kansas’ unexpected first-round exit from the NCAA Tournament. For the standout center, however, this message likely felt disheartening. This was not the result he had envisioned. He joined Kansas not only as a celebrated player in college basketball but as one of the first true stars to emerge from the college basketball free agency via the transfer portal, armed with an expanding NIL portfolio. After spending three years at Michigan, he moved to Bill Self’s Jayhawks in hopes of clinching a national championship, but Dickinson’s transition to Lawrence didn’t go as he had imagined.

Prior to the matchup against Arkansas, Dickinson recognized this was his final opportunity for a championship. “I know it’s my last one, so I’m going to try to leave it all out on the floor, no regrets.” Despite his determination, his collegiate career concluded with a 79-72 defeat to No. 10 seed Arkansas, where he struggled, tallying only 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting. Did he allow himself to wallow in the loss?

Just days after the tournament’s end, Dickinson was back at the CBS studio, providing analysis for the Texas-Florida Elite Eight preview. This was part of his ongoing arrangement with CBS Sports HQ for a weekly show covering all aspects of college basketball. This wasn’t his first experience in media; last December he had made several guest appearances on Barstool’s Roundball Podcast and other platforms. CBS, however, offered him significant opportunities, revealing his involvement in December and allowing him to debut with a breakdown of the UCLA-UNC matchup during a favorable time for Kansas (8-2).

On CBS Sports, the 7-foot-2 center also shared his insights regarding the Michigan Wolverines’ Sweet 16 match against the Auburn Tigers. He discussed what Dusty May’s team would need to succeed against the top seed in the South region. “I think for Michigan to keep up with Auburn, it’s going to come down to Tre Donaldson, Roddy Gayle,” Dickinson stated. “Can they make shots… I think that’ll be the matchup that’ll make things interesting and see if they can keep pace with those guys.” Dickinson is not restricting himself to broadcasting roles alone; on Thursday, he announced a NIL deal with the gaming powerhouse Activision.

Dickinson revealed his partnership with Activision for the upcoming ‘Call of Duty’ Season 3 release of Black Ops 6 and Warzone, slated for launch on April 3. “Verdansk is coming back! Drop in with your squad on April 3rd #COD_Partner #CallOfDuty #Verdansk #ad @callofduty,” he posted on Instagram. He has previously collaborated with brands like Adidas, CVS Pharmacy, Wendy’s, Great Clips, Engage, and Crush Soda, and currently ranks 72nd on On3’s NIL valuation list as he builds his brand.

Dickinson faces an uncertain future in the NBA. Yes, he’s a prominent figure in college basketball and in the mix for Player of the Year considerations since Zach Edey’s departure. However, his perceived lack of athleticism and diverse defensive skills has left him as a potential second-round pick in mock drafts, with some omitting him entirely. “A team in need of a backup center might draft Dickinson late in the second round, but more likely, he will go undrafted,” noted Stephen Noh from Sporting News.