VIP: portal frenzy continues with Hunter Dickinson available & four-star visitor

The basketball portal frenzy continues with the college basketball season nearly complete, but a big name entered the portal on Friday: Michigan forward Hunter Dickinson.

The speculation of a possible transfer went public earlier this week before Friday’s news brought it to fruition. Maryland fans are long familiar with the Michigan star who hasn’t been shy about his thoughts on Maryland’s pursuit out of high school, routinely referencing the lack of pursuit through the years, but there’s a new staff in College Park which means the door is now open.

Dickinson, already rated the top prospect in On3’s transfer list, will have a long list of schools chasing him driving up an already expensive target with NIL but Dickinson is a target that I expect head coach Kevin Willard to pursue with word that Dickinson is receptive to the idea of returning home, putting both Maryland and Georgetown in the conversation. Whether Maryland can afford him is a question to be answered at a later date, but for now, he’s listed as ‘warm’ on the portal board. Meanwhile following Tony Skinn’s departure, Mike Jones, Virginia Tech assistant and Dickinson’s former high school coach, continues to trend as a potential staff addition while Duane Simpkins is in position to land the American head coaching job. One key angle that could alter Maryland’s chances with Dickinson: Grant Billmeier, a proven big man coach who remains a contender for the NJIT head coaching job. I expect Willard to make the staff hire(s) a top priority with the portal swirling.

Elsewhere in the portal, I’m expecting former VCU guard Ace Baldwin to land at Penn State with Mike Rhoades after speaking with a source. Sounds like Towson guard Nick Timberlake, still ranked as a top ten portal prospect, will land at a blue blood with North Carolina gaining buzz. Meanwhile, Maryland is no longer in pursuit of Dayton F Mustapha Amzil, a source tells IBG.

On the football side, Good Counsel (MD) three-star WR Elijah Moore will unofficially visit Maryland on Saturday as the Terps are in a good position. There’s a possibility that his teammate, three-star running back Dilin Jones, makes the trip to College Park as well with the staff in a good spot with both early in the process. I’m also expecting four-star linebacker Aaron Chiles to visit Maryland next week as the staff works to stay in the mix. I’m hearing that Chiles is aligning his official visits in June with Notre Dame, Michigan and Ohio State in mind while the Terps could either sneak their way into his schedule or host him for an eventual midweek official. There’s plenty of time to iron out dates, but with Michigan in the lead, Maryland is up next with Chiles narrowing down from his top ten.

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