Isaiah Livers announces return decision

It was up in the air as to whether Michigan basketball forward/guard Isaiah Livers would enter the upcoming NBA Draft or return for his senior season.

On Friday, Livers and Michigan announced he will be returning to the program and is withdrawing his name from the 2020 NBA Draft.

“What a crazy couple of months. However, I have learned a great deal from this process, and I’m extremely excited to return to Ann Arbor,” Livers said in the statement. “My family and I are so appreciative of Coach Howard and all the staff for letting us really explore my dream of playing in the NBA. While it was a limited process due to COVID-19, I want to thank all the NBA teams who took the time to talk to me. The information I gathered is going to be invaluable moving forward. But now, we have unfinished business in Ann Arbor. I cannot wait to do everything I can and help lead this team to great things.”

“It was a great afternoon when Isaiah stopped into my office and told us he would be returning,” head coach Juwan Howard said. “The opportunity for Isaiah, and his family, to take a deep dive and learn as much as they could about professional basketball is a blessing. Now, he has even more information to know what he needs to do to reach that next level and fulfill his dreams. For us, we not only get a skilled and experienced veteran back, we get a true leader and one of the best young men I have met.”

This is great news for Michigan if and when the upcoming 2020-2021 season begins. Livers averaged 12.9 points per game, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist last season with an impressive free throw percentage of 95.7.