Kansas basketball’s Udoka Azubuike and Devon Dotson receive Big 12 preseason honors
Kansas basketball is loaded with talent for this season, and the conference seems to agree. The Big 12 announced their preseason awards yesterday, and among the honorees were Jayhawks Udoka Azubuike and Devon Dotson.
This will be a fun season for Kansas basketball fans. The team is loaded with talent at every position, and the bench is extremely deep; however, there may not be a more capable duo in college basketball than Udoka Azubuike and Devon Dotson.
The 2019-20 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Preseason Awards confirmed just how elite Kansas should be this season. Both Dotson and Azubuike were named to the preseason Big 12 team, with Azubuike being named preseason player of the year.
The seven-foot senior from Nigeria is set for a huge year after having his 2018-19 season shortened due to a wrist injury. In the nine games he played, Azubuike averaged 13.4 points and went 70.5% from the field. When Azubuike went down last season, so did Kansas’ title hopes. It’ll be imperative that Azubuike stays healthy this year, or the Jayhawks title chances will vanish once again.
After injuries sidelined Azubuike and Quentin Grimes didn’t live up to the enormous hype he was given, Devon Dotson became the offensive catalyst for Kansas. He averaged 12.3 points per game last season while playing around 32 minutes per game. Both of those numbers will be expected to rise this season, as Dotson will probably play close to 40 minutes a game for the Jayhawks.
Not only were the two recognized in the Big 12, but also nationally, as Dotson and Azubuike were both named to the CBS preseason All-American team. Dotson was named to the second-team, while Azubuike was named to the third-team. Kansas basketball was the only team in the nation to have more than one player awarded, which once again speaks to just how much talent is on the roster.
If the stakes weren’t high enough, the last Jayhawk to be named preseason player of the year by the Big 12 was Devonte Graham back in 2017. Graham went on to average 17.3 points and 7.2 assists per game that season en route to a Final Four.
Both Azubuike and Dotson are coming into this season with massive expectations, but the two stars have already proven that they can thrive under pressure. Plus, Kansas basketball boasts one of the deepest benches in college basketball. Big man David McCormack and guard Marcus Garrett could start at a number of division one programs; however, both will be coming off the bench for the Jayhawks this season.
Also. Preseason Big 12 basketball rankings heading into the 2019-20 season. light
The benefit of being surrounded by great players should help both Dotson and Azubuike increase their production, and it’ll be exciting to see just how far the two Jayhawks can lead Kansas. As head coach Bill Self said at Late Night in the Phog, fans’ expectations should be off the charts for this team. Those expectations will live and die with Azubuike and Dotson this season, and you know what? That’s great news for Kansas basketball fans.