ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Glenn Robinson III and Mitch McGary are coming back to Michigan, hoping to form the nucleus of the Wolverines’ next national title contender.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Glenn Robinson III and Mitch McGary are coming back to Michigan, hoping to form the nucleus of the Wolverines’ next national title contender.
Robinson and McGary announced their decisions Thursday, putting off the NBA draft to return for their sophomore seasons. Michigan has lost national player of the year Trey Burke and guard Tim Hardaway Jr. to the draft, but now the Wolverines can expect to return three starters from a team that reached the NCAA title game this season.
Robinson, the son of the former Purdue star with the same name, started all 39 games for Michigan this season and averaged 11 points. McGary’s stock took off during the NCAA tournament, when he emerged as a force inside to help the Wolverines to their first Final Four since 1993.
Michigan lost to Louisville in the national title game.
Robinson spent a lot of time this season as an undersized power forward, but he could play more at small forward next season — with McGary playing in the post alongside Jordan Morgan or Jon Horford. Morgan struggled to return to form after a midseason injury this year, and McGary become Michigan’s top inside presence during the NCAA tournament.
The 6-foot-10 McGary averaged only 7.5 points per game this season, but in the NCAA tournament he averaged 14.3 points and 10.7 rebounds.
That gave McGary a decision to make.
“There’s still plenty for me to work on and get better,” McGary said. “I’m just excited for what lies ahead.”