Hunter Dickinson, the towering former center for the Kansas Jayhawks, is making waves this summer as the New Orleans Pelicans have extended a two-way qualifying offer his way, setting the stage for him to become a restricted free agent. Standing at an impressive 7-foot-2 and weighing in at 260 pounds, Dickinson hails from Alexandria, Virginia, and has left a notable mark on the court during his college tenure. In his second and final season with the Jayhawks, Dickinson put up solid numbers, averaging 17.4 points and 10 rebounds per game during the 2024-25 season.
Now at 25, Dickinson is gearing up to showcase his skills with the Pelicans' summer league team from July 9-19 in Las Vegas. This is a crucial time for him, as the Pelicans hold the right to match any offer that comes his way, given his status as a restricted free agent. Joining him on the summer league roster is former KU guard Melvin Council Jr., who has secured an Exhibit 10 deal with New Orleans after going undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Reflecting on his journey, Dickinson wasn't picked in the 2025 NBA Draft but managed to carve out a spot with the Pelicans on a one-year two-way contract. He made appearances in five NBA games last season, where he averaged 2.4 points, with his standout performance being a six-point, four-rebound game against Minnesota on April 12.
Dickinson's true impact was felt with the Pelicans' G League team in Birmingham, Alabama, where he played 33 games. He was a consistent force, averaging 18 points and 10.8 rebounds, starting every game and clocking in an average of 31.2 minutes. His shooting was sharp, hitting 56.8% from the field and an impressive 39.1% from beyond the arc, sinking 50 of his 128 three-point attempts.
One of Dickinson's most memorable performances came on March 17, when he lit up the scoreboard with a career-high 34 points, including four three-pointers, in a decisive 122-106 win over the Maine Celtics. He also shattered the team's single-season rebound record with 27 boards and added seven assists, marking him as the first Squadron player to achieve a 30-point, 20-rebound game.
In a move that adds another layer of excitement to Dickinson's journey, the Pelicans announced on March 30 that their NBA G League affiliate will be relocating to Kenner, Louisiana, and will take on a new identity as the Laketown Squadron for the upcoming season. This transition could provide a fresh backdrop for Dickinson as he continues to develop his professional career.
In Other News...
Kansas May Have Finally Fixed A Frontcourt Flaw That Loomed Large
Kansas spent last season looking solid on the defensive glass, but the bigger concern was whether the frontcourt could keep that standard intact when the rotation got stretched. With the roster now supplemented through the transfer portal, the Jayhawks have brought in Christian Reeves and Keanu Dawes to help shore up that area, while freshman Tyran Stokes gives the staff another intriguing option if they need rebounding help in a hurry.
The encouraging part for Kansas is that this no longer looks like a one-man fix. Dawes arrives with a track record of producing on the boards, Reeves gives the lineup another big body to lean on, and Stokes has the kind of profile that can turn into value faster than expected. The question now is whether those pieces settle in quickly enough to turn a lingering depth issue into one of the roster's strengths. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Added A Wave Of Newcomers As One Familiar Name Vanished
Kansas footballs roster finally got its first update since spring ball, and the changes were broad enough to catch the eye of anyone tracking the depth chart heading into the fall. The Jayhawks added 15 newcomers in all, mixing scholarship freshmen, projected preferred walk-ons and a junior college arrival as the staff continued to restock the roster between sessions.
The update also offered the first sign that the program is still in the middle of sorting out its final pieces before camp. Among the additions are six members of the 2026 high school class and a JUCO transfer from Coffeyville Community College, while the roster page no longer looks the same after one familiar name disappeared from it. Kansas is expected to do a full refresh again when August camp opens, but for now the spring-to-summer shuffle already says plenty about how much movement is still happening around the program. [Read more 🡒]
Dennis Parker Jr. Could Change Kansas Biggest Rotation Problem
Kansas has spent plenty of time looking for reliable scoring beyond its top options, and Dennis Parker Jr. gives the Jayhawks a very different kind of answer. The Radford transfer arrives with a rsum built on production, not projection, after averaging 18.3 points and 5.9 rebounds last season, and he brings the kind of perimeter-to-wing versatility that can help stabilize a second unit that has not always had a natural bucket-getter.
Parker is expected to back up the shooting guard and small forward spots, with a path to even more if Kansas needs him to slide into a small-ball role. However the rotation settles, the Jayhawks are clearly counting on him to be more than just depth, because the bigger question is whether he can become the first dependable bench scorer to consistently take some pressure off the starters. [Read more 🡒]