Naturally, just a handful of days after I predicted we’re in the clear with transfers, a guy transfers.
Dickens signed in Feb of his junior year in HS (2016). At the time, the roster had a glaring lack of big men. So even as an unfinished product, he was probably sold on immediate playing time. But enter Kalif Young as a late class of ‘16 signing, and later Nate Watson joining Dickens in ‘17, and he’s third on the depth chart at center even after redshirting a year. Sounds like there may have been some off-court stuff as well, but this is only surprising insofar as it happened really late — there wasn’t going to be PT for both Young and Dickens in ‘18-19.
Not much of a loss for this coming season and it perhaps helps land a late grad transfer who could upgrade the wing position in 2019-2020. But further down the road, it’s a shame to lose a player with such demonstrable upside.
Dickens signed in Feb of his junior year in HS (2016). At the time, the roster had a glaring lack of big men. So even as an unfinished product, he was probably sold on immediate playing time. But enter Kalif Young as a late class of ‘16 signing, and later Nate Watson joining Dickens in ‘17, and he’s third on the depth chart at center even after redshirting a year. Sounds like there may have been some off-court stuff as well, but this is only surprising insofar as it happened really late — there wasn’t going to be PT for both Young and Dickens in ‘18-19.
Not much of a loss for this coming season and it perhaps helps land a late grad transfer who could upgrade the wing position in 2019-2020. But further down the road, it’s a shame to lose a player with such demonstrable upside.