LAWRENCE, Kan. — University of Kansas sophomore point guard Devon Dotson has decided to make himself eligible for the 2020 NBA Draft.
Dotson, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound native of Charlotte, North Carolina, made the announcement Monday, issuing a letter to KU fans at KUathletics.com.
“After talking it over with my family and full support from my coaches, I’ve decided to enter the 2020 NBA Draft and pursue my lifelong goal of being an NBA player,” he wrote. “In basketball this has always been my ultimate dream and my time at KU has prepared me. Although I intend to sign with an agent and remain in the draft, this is not a good-bye as I will always be a Jayhawk. Thank you to God, my parents, coaches, support staff, teammates, Jayhawk nation, and everyone for making these last two years extremely special.”
Dotson led the Big 12 in scoring at 18.1 points a game (on 46.8% shooting) for the 28-3 Jayhawks, who won the Big 12 regular-season title and were primed to land the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament before the cancellation of the tourney because of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Dotson hit 38 of 123 three-pointers for 30.9% accuracy this season. An 83% free-throw shooter, he also had 120 assists (4.0 per game), second-best on the team to Marcus Garrett’s 144. Dotson had 73 turnovers and 63 steals, the most steals of any Big 12 player. He was named first-team all-Big 12 and second-team AP All-American.
Dotson scored 986 career points in his two seasons at KU.
In his letter to fans, he also wrote: “What’s up Jayhawk Nation. I hope everyone is being safe and healthy as we navigate through this COVID-19 pandemic.
“This past week has brought out a lot of emotion. When I chose to return for year two, my team’s goals were to win a Big 12 and a National Championship. I truly believe this past Monday we would have been competing in Atlanta for the 2020 National Championship, and it hurts that we did not get a chance to bring the trophy back to Lawrence. We had the talent, players, coaches and support staff to get it done and I would have given my everything to try to not let us lose.
“Although the season had to end abruptly, I will always cherish the memory of winning the last 16 games and finishing the season as the consensus No. 1 team in the country. I’ve grown tremendously these past two years with the help of Coach (Bill) Self and the entire coaching staff. They pushed me to be the very best on and off the court as a player and a person.
“During my recruitment, they painted a vivid picture of their plan for me — from how I fit and would grow with the team to how hard they would push me — and it all happened just as they said it would. For that I will always be grateful and I cannot thank them enough. Also, I would like to thank my teammates. I achieved many personal accolades, however, I know without their play, support, and push from each and every one of them, none of it would be possible. They will be my brothers for life.
“I cannot end without thanking the best fans in college basketball. There is no place like Allen Fieldhouse. The energy that 16,300 fans bring every single game is unmatched. I will miss running out that tunnel on game day and hearing the Rock Chalk Chant. From New York to the unforgettable trip in Maui to Big 12 cities, to watching at home, KU fans show up and show out. I love you all and cannot thank you enough for embracing me. Lawrence will always be a second home.”
KU coach Self had expected Dotson to turn pro.
“This decision came about from what Devon’s goals were last year and what he was told by NBA personnel on what he needed to improve on,” Self said Monday. “And then he goes out and has an All-American year. I believe this was going to be a decision he made regardless of NBA feedback, but the NBA feedback he has received has been positive and I concur with him that this is the right time to pursue a professional career.
“We are all so proud and happy for Devon and what a year he had,” Self added. “We support and believe this is the correct decision for him to make. Although we only got two years from Devon, all Jayhawk fans should be very appreciative and wish him all the best moving forward.”
Self at the conclusion of the season called Dotson “the best point guard in the country. He’s tough and he’s a winner. To think he scored 18 a game, and the Big 12 by far is the best defensive conference in the country, is great. He certainly improved this year over last year and he was good last year. He had a good year on both ends, not just offensively.”
Dotson arrived at KU two years ago as a highly recruited McDonald’s All-American.
“But people didn’t project him to be a one-and-done guy,” Self said. “His freshman year he had a very good year, solid, but there were still some things he needed to do to tighten some things up and he worked really hard.
“He is an unbelievable competitor. He liked it when it counted the most and was the hardest. I respect him for that.”
Self noted that, “If this year had ended the way we all hoped it could have, I think you could make a case he’s the best we’ve had (at lead guard in 17 seasons at KU).”
Self also said: “Devon and Tyshawn (Taylor) and Frank (Mason) would be three of the fastest (guards) we’ve had. You look at all the different ways Frank scored. He would be more versatile than ‘Dot’ but it didn’t matter. ‘Dot’ still got where he wanted to go regardless of how you defended him. That was what to me was amazing about him, no matter what you tried to take away he still got there. I think that’s something God-given — speed. His natural ability to put both feet in the paint, I think, will do wonders for him moving forward.”
The 2020 NBA Draft remains scheduled for June 25, although it could be pushed back, maybe until August, because of the coronavirus outbreak. The NCAA deadline for a player to withdraw from the draft if he wishes to return to school is 11:59 p.m. on June 3. Players are allowed to hire agents to explore the draft but then still return to school if they opt to pull out, as part of new rules passed last year.
Dotson, though, has made it clear he is in the draft to stay.
A year ago, Dotson declared for the draft and attended the NBA Combine and one-on-one workouts for eight teams. He ultimately decided to return to school when he learned he’d likely be a second-round pick.
“It helped a lot,” Dotson said of the process of testing the waters.
“They open your eyes,” he added of the countless NBA team officials he spoke with after his freshman season, including several at the combine and more at an NBA Pro Day in Los Angeles attended by representatives from all 30 teams.
“It’s a real job. It’s a business on that side each and every day. Going through that process really helped me a lot. It takes a lot to get there (pros).”
In two scrimmages at the 2019 NBA Combine in Chicago, Dotson totaled 18 points on 8-of-19 shooting. He dished out 10 assists, grabbed 10 rebounds and had two steals in 42 minutes of playing time.
He went 0 for 5 from beyond the three-point line, with one airball.
“There were different things (he was told) I need to work on, shooting, understanding the game,” Dotson said.
After indicating his intentions to return to KU for his sophomore season at the end of May, Dotson went to work on his game, not just to better prepare himself for the pros but in hopes of having a breakout sophomore season.
“Every aspect of my game I tried to work on this offseason,” Dotson said, “whether it’s defense, IQ wise, shooting, different reads on the court, just trying to be the best player I can be.
“I went home and had a trainer. In the NBA process I had a personal trainer, Jeff McInnis. He played in the league. He’s a guy I work with a lot on different stuff, ball screen reads, a lot of shooting, creating space.
“He taught me a lot how to compete. He’s been there before, a point guard in the league. He helped me a lot.”
Dotson also was in Lawrence last summer working out with the KU team.
“I would say understanding the game more,” Dotson said of his biggest jump from his freshman to sophomore seasons. “Trying to slow the game down a little bit, trying to play a little smarter, being more of a leader on the court. I feel I’m improved in a lot of ways. Talking taking control of the team.”
He stressed the fact that he and his teammates worked hard last offseason.
“I feel that physically … I’ve been in the weight room. I got stronger,” he said. “I got a little faster. I’m just always trying to get better. I want to learn as much as I can from the coaches, constantly trying to figure out ways to improve, watching film after games, just always trying to improve.”
Dotson’s declaration drops KU to its full allotment of 13 scholarship players for the 2020-21 season. KU had 14 on its roster before he announced his intent to head to the NBA.
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