Days after losing big man Moe Wagner to the NBA Draft, Michigan redshirt sophomore Charles Matthews has decided to follow suit and forego his remaining college eligibility.
Matthews, however, has left the door open for a return to Michigan by not hiring with an agent.
Extremely blessed and excited for this opportunity. #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/36GuvQ4S78
— Charles Matthews (@1CMatthews) April 20, 2018
Matthews, this season for Michigan, finished second in scoring (13 PPG) and rebounding (5.5 RPG) behind only Moe Wagner. The former Kentucky transfer got off to a red-hot start to the year, establishing himself as a steady contributor for the Wolverines, after being forced to sit out the previous season due to the NCAA transfer rules.
Matthews in his freshman season (2015-16) at Kentucky played in 36 games, starting only three and averaging just over 10 minutes per contest. He appeared in all 41 games for Michigan this season and saw just a tick over 30 minutes per game. The Chicago-native was arguably the team’s best and most consistent performer during their NCAA Tournament run to the national title game, averaging just under 15 PPG and shooting over 50 percent from the floor in their six tournament games.
The redshirt sophomore makes his decision just two days before the deadline in which college players must enter their names into the NBA Draft. Matthews will now be permitted to attend workouts and perform in front of NBA teams and scouts, subsequently receiving feedback on what his pro outlook is. By not hiring with an agency, the possibility of him returning to Michigan remains, but he has until May 30 to make that decision.
Michigan head coach John Beilein shared his thoughts on Matthews’ NBA Draft decision:
“We have loved the initiative and maturity Charles has shown during this early phase of the testing the NBA Draft process,” U-M head coach John Beilein said in a statement. “We have been, and will continue, to work closely with Charles and his family to gain as much information as possible in the weeks ahead.”
The Wolverines’ roster has suffered some attrition and depth since their loss in the title game to Villanova. In addition to Wagner leaving for the NBA and now Matthews, the program also lost a pair of bench reserves as Ibi Watson, and Brent Hibbitts opted to transfer.
With regards to the recent decisions from Wagner and Matthews, that opens up two scholarship roster spots for Michigan heading into next season, opening the possibility of bringing in some grad transfers.
As far as Matthews’ NBA outlook is concerned, his draft position checks out as a potential late second-round pick to possibly going undrafted entirely. NBA Scouting Live praises him for his ability to attack and score, but have concerns on his outside shot and occasional lapses on defense.
The NBA Draft Scouting Combine will run from May 16-20 in Chicago. The NBA Draft is on June 21 in Brooklyn.
