Michigan basketball coach John Beilein announced Thursday that senior forward Jon Horford will not return to the Wolverine program in 2014-15, instead planning to transfer for his final season of eligibility.
"Jon has been an integral part of our many accomplishments over the last four years," said Beilein. "He brought great enthusiasm, leadership and work ethic to our program. Jon is a wonderful young man, who has a very bright future ahead of him. With his graduation this May, he will have the opportunity to play immediately at another Division I program. We will be rooting for him every step of the way."
Horford never rose above the role of backup center during his tenure at Michigan. The lanky big man found himself behind five-year senior Jordan Morgan and five-star recruit Mitch McGary every season.
After McGary's back surgery sidelined him for nearly the entire 2013-14 season, Horford and Morgan shared minutes evenly for a few weeks before the ladder's superior performance buried Horford back into the permanent backup role.
"My time at Michigan has been the most beneficial period of my life in terms of athletic development and overall enlightenment," said Horford. "The bonds created over the last four years are everlasting, and the memories made are truly priceless. As on all journeys, new paths must be taken and intuition must be trusted. I leave Michigan with nothing but love in my heart."
Horford, a tri-captain this season, played in 107 career games during his four seasons in Ann Arbor. After playing in 29 games as a freshman, a foot injury limited him to just nine games as a sophomore and he redshirted the remainder of the season. Over the last two seasons, he played in 69 games with 11 starts. The team had an 87-33 record for games in which he played.
He helped the Wolverines to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances including a trip to the national title game in 2013 and the Elite Eight in 2014. During his tenure, the Wolverines won their first Big Ten regular season title in 26 years in 2012 and its first outright title in 2014.
Horford is scheduled to finish his undergrad degree this May. By receiving his degree, he allows himself to transfer without sitting out a year before using his final season of eligibility.
What could this announcement mean for Michigan? Horford possibly received news that McGary planned to return for another season and opted to avoid another season as the second fiddle. After spending four years in waiting, the senior would likely cash in on the opportunity to start for the Wolverines if it presented itself.
Another (increasingly unlikely) possibility could be that star guard Nik Stauskas's recent uncertainty about the NBA Draft prompted Michigan to encourage Horford to transfer in order to free up another scholarship. Though the chances that Stauskas, Glenn Robinson III and McGary all return to Ann Arbor next season are slim, Horford's sudden departure could be a glimmer of hope for such a move.
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