Kansas basketball: Multiple Jayhawks rake in Big 12 awards

The Big 12 Conference announced their end of the season awards, and multiple Kansas basketball players were honored.

After winning the Big 12 Championship outright, Kansas basketball has reclaimed its place at the top of the conference. The Jayhawks ran through their league schedule, finishing with a 17-1 record.

Today, multiple Jayhawks received Big 12 Awards to finish out the regular season:

• Udoka Azubuike – Big 12 Player of the Year, All-Big 12 First Team (Unanimous), Big 12 All-Defensive Team
• Marcus Garrett – Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, All-Big 12 Third Team, Big 12 All-Defensive Team
• Devon Dotson – All-Big 12 First Team (Unanimous)
• Ochai Agbaji – All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
• Christian Braun – Big 12 All-Freshman Team

Despite leading the conference in scoring, Devon Dotson was not named Big 12 POY in favor of his teammate Udoka Azubuike. Ultimately, this was the “more correct” decision. While Dotson winning the award would have been acceptable, Azubuike is just too dominant of a player not to win the award.

Azubuike has had some incredible stat lines this season, and they were in big-time games too. His 23 points and 19 rebounds against Baylor comes to mind, and his 31 point game on Senior Night against TCU was ridiculous.

Dotson was still a unanimous pick for First Team All-Big 12, and he certainly deserves it. He gave teams problems all season long with his lightning-quick speed and ability to defend at a high level.

Of course, Marcus Garrett definitely deserves DPOY. He completely changed games with his ability to get timely steals and lock down an opponent’s best player. As a junior that will probably return for his senior year, Garrett could have a chance to repeat and get named to the First Team in 2021.

If Kansas basketball fans do have one gripe, it’s probably that Baylor head coach Scott Drew won Coach of the Year.

While Drew did do a great job with the Bears, the fact that Self went 17-1 in a major conference is amazing, even if it is a down year in the Big 12. While Drew isn’t an awful choice, Self was more deserving.

It’s March, and that means crazy things are about to happen. Kansas basketball will need all of their star power to be on their A-Game from here on out because this team is too talented to not make it to a Final Four.