Exactly two weeks before college basketball season tips off, the Big 5 got its first big surprise.
Late Friday afternoon, first-year Penn men’s basketball coach Steve Donahue announced that senior guard Tony Hicks has made the decision to not play for the Quakers this season.
“Tony and I have had some discussions in recent days, and Tony has decided not to play this year,” Donahue said in a statement. “Tony will stay at Penn and graduate in May, and then after that he will continue his basketball career. I respect his decision, I wish him well, and we will continue to do all that we can to help Tony advance his game for the next step. As for this year’s team, we will move forward and continue preparing for the upcoming season.”
A highly touted player from Chicago and arguably the best recruit of former head coach Jerome Allen’s tenure, Hicks was a big contributor as a freshman before leading the team in scoring the last two seasons.
But the guard also ran into some discipline problems, getting suspended or ejected from a game in each of the last three seasons with the Quakers going a combined 26-61 during that span.
By most accounts, though, Hicks was embracing the coaching change and Donahue’s new fast-paced offense.
And Donahue had good things to say about Hicks embracing a leadership role as a senior, making Friday’s announcement one that seemed to come out of nowhere for many Penn fans.
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“After speaking with Coach Donahue about the best situation for Penn basketball and myself, I have decided the best decision for me will be to take a break from basketball,” said Hicks, who played in Penn’s preseason Red and Blue scrimmage this past weekend. “I plan to graduate from Penn in May, and then take my next step as a basketball player next year. This is a personal decision, and I wrestled long and hard with it because I have thoroughly enjoyed playing for Penn the last three years and wearing the Red and the Blue. I want to wish the guys on the team and the coaches all the best for this season and future seasons, and I will definitely be backing them in the Palestra during the next several months.”
Penn opens its season on Nov. 13 when it hosts Robert Morris in the front end of a doubleheader at the Palestra with the Penn women playing Duke in the second game.
Without Hicks, sophomore guards Antonio Woods and Darnell Foreman figure to play in a prominent role in the backcourt along with a slew of freshman, including potential standout Jake Silpe.