Finest Magazine Spotlight: Hunter Dickinson

Hunter Dickinson lays it in during a battle with the Austin Spurs (Photo Cred: Mercedes Oliver/NBAE)

In this season-long series, I’ll highlight players with DMV ties across every level of basketball, showcasing their standout performances and the paths they’re carving. Too often, the public assumes that if an athlete isn’t at a powerhouse high school, a major college program, or in the NBA, then their game somehow carries less value. That narrative is outdated. Finest Magazine is here to change that by shining a light on the players putting in real work and producing at high levels all across the basketball landscape.

The inaugural Spotlight of the season begins with Birmingham Squadron center Hunter Dickinson, who continues to live up to the pedigree that made him one of the most decorated big men in college basketball history. A former DeMatha All-Met standout, Dickinson went on to earn two All-Big 12 First Team selections, two All-Big Ten First Team honors, and three All-American nods during his collegiate stops at Michigan and Kansas. Now transitioning to the professional ranks, he’s off to a strong start in the G League, averaging 15.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists on 52.4% shooting from the field and 35.3% from deep through five games for the Birmingham Squadron, the New Orleans Pelicans’ affiliate.

Dickinson’s production and poise quickly earned him a call-up to the Pelicans, where his size and skill provide valuable depth to the frontcourt rotation. His early dominance was on full display in a 122–118 win over the Osceola Magic, where he delivered a monster 24-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist performance on 10–17 shooting, including 2–5 from three, finishing the night at a +13. With his blend of inside presence, touch, and feel for the game, Dickinson is already proving he belongs—and his trajectory is only pointing upward.