Kansas sophomore guard Devon Dotson has declared for the NBA Draft, he announced Monday.
The 6-foot-2 Dotson is currently projected at No. 32 in the latest ESPN.com mock draft. He has not yet hired an agent.
“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,” Dotson said, according to a release. “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. Rock Chalk.”
Last summer, Dotson participated in the NBA Combine and returned to Kansas where he led the Jayhawks to a 28-3 record and a Big 12 regular-season title winning a conference-record 17 league games going 17-1 in 2019-20. The Jayhawks won their final 16 games of the season and finished ranked No. 1 in both the Associated Press and USA TODAY Coaches’ polls at the end of the shortened season.
“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,” Kansas head coach Bill Self said. “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.”
A Consensus All-America Second Team and Wooden Award All-American, Dotson led the Big 12 in scoring at 18.1 ppg, steals (2.1) and free throws made (142). The Charlotte, N.C., native who was a three-time Big 12 Player of the Week in 2019-20, Dotson ranked among the Big 12 leaders in 20-point games (second at 9), field goal percentage (second at 46.8), free throw percentage (fifth at 83.0), assists (fifth at 4.0) and assist-to-turnover ratio (fifth at 1.7).
“We are all so proud and happy for Devon and what a year he had,” Self said. “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.”
Dotson became just the fifth Jayhawk to lead the Big 12 in scoring joining Drew Gooden in 2002, Wayne Simien in 2005, Frank Mason III in 2017 and Dedric Lawson in 2019. In addition to his All-America honors in 2019-20, Dotson was an All-Big 12 First Team (unanimous selection), a Bob Cousy Award Point Guard of the Year Award Finalist, USBWA All-District VI and the co-MVP of the Maui Invitational in leading KU to the tourney title. Dotson amassed 986 career points in only two seasons
at Kansas.
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