Photo by: Matthew Mitchell Photography
Aaron Henry to Return to Michigan State
8/4/2020 12:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State men's basketball rising junior Aaron Henry (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) announced Sunday that he would withdraw his name from the 2020 NBA Draft and will return to the Spartans next season.
Henry had announced in late March that he would test the waters and gather information before making a final decision.
Henry started in 29 of 30 games during the 2019-20 season and finished third on the team in scoring with 10.0 points per game. He was third on the team with 4.6 rebounds, while averaging 2.9 assists and playing 29.1 minutes per game (also third on the team). He enters his junior season having started in 51 of 69 career games, averaging 7.8 points and 4.2 rebounds.
Statement from Aaron Henry …
"This decision was based off wanting to maximize my opportunity to be coached by the best coach in the game in Tom Izzo and reach my dreams and full potential. I wanted to put myself in the best situation possible and not rush anything to make sure I start my career on the right foot. This was a tough decision, but Year 3 will be the year.
"Cassius (Winston) leaves big shoes to fill. He was asked to do everything for Michigan State. I'm hoping to step into a bigger role with the ball in my hands. Things will definitely look different. Everyone is going to need to step up and be a piece to the puzzle. NBA teams want to see me in a bigger role. They want to see me be the man on a team. I'm not afraid of that. Let's get to it."
Statement from Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo …
"We knew from the beginning that Aaron had the physical and mental skills to be an NBA player. Not having the chance to work out for teams and go to the combine, where he was one of 63 players invited, was a big factor in his decision to return.
"Aaron has been here with us all summer and these past three weeks has made it hard for me to advise him because he has made big strides in his shooting and ball handling. In the end, I feel he believes it was too much of a chance to guess where he was and he felt he could keep improving in a few areas and take over part of the role Cassius leaves behind.
"Aaron will be able to fill those shoes plus follow his good friend and mentor, Gary Harris, by becoming an impact player and one of the most versatile players in the country. He can score, pass, rebound and defend at a high level. We are thrilled to have him back and appreciate the fact he kept us involved in a tough decision."
Henry had announced in late March that he would test the waters and gather information before making a final decision.
Henry started in 29 of 30 games during the 2019-20 season and finished third on the team in scoring with 10.0 points per game. He was third on the team with 4.6 rebounds, while averaging 2.9 assists and playing 29.1 minutes per game (also third on the team). He enters his junior season having started in 51 of 69 career games, averaging 7.8 points and 4.2 rebounds.
Statement from Aaron Henry …
"This decision was based off wanting to maximize my opportunity to be coached by the best coach in the game in Tom Izzo and reach my dreams and full potential. I wanted to put myself in the best situation possible and not rush anything to make sure I start my career on the right foot. This was a tough decision, but Year 3 will be the year.
"Cassius (Winston) leaves big shoes to fill. He was asked to do everything for Michigan State. I'm hoping to step into a bigger role with the ball in my hands. Things will definitely look different. Everyone is going to need to step up and be a piece to the puzzle. NBA teams want to see me in a bigger role. They want to see me be the man on a team. I'm not afraid of that. Let's get to it."
Statement from Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo …
"We knew from the beginning that Aaron had the physical and mental skills to be an NBA player. Not having the chance to work out for teams and go to the combine, where he was one of 63 players invited, was a big factor in his decision to return.
"Aaron has been here with us all summer and these past three weeks has made it hard for me to advise him because he has made big strides in his shooting and ball handling. In the end, I feel he believes it was too much of a chance to guess where he was and he felt he could keep improving in a few areas and take over part of the role Cassius leaves behind.
"Aaron will be able to fill those shoes plus follow his good friend and mentor, Gary Harris, by becoming an impact player and one of the most versatile players in the country. He can score, pass, rebound and defend at a high level. We are thrilled to have him back and appreciate the fact he kept us involved in a tough decision."
Players Mentioned
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