He has yet to play an actual minute for the Kansas basketball program and no one knows whether he’ll even start or just how significant his role will be.
But the outlook inside the Kansas basketball offices is that freshman point guard has a chance to be a heck of a player. And on Monday, at least one national watch list took notice.
Kansas freshman Devon Dotson on Monday became one of 20 collegiate players named to the preseason watch list for the 2019 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced.
Named after Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic and Holy Cross guard Bob Cousy, the annual honor, now in its 16th year, recognizes the top point guard in NCAA Division I men’s basketball. A national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates and Dotson is vying to become the second Jayhawk in the last three seasons to win the award. Frank Mason III was KU’s first-ever Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award winner in 2017.
One of five McDonald’s All-Americans on the KU’s 2018-19 roster, Dotson is an explosive combo guard who picked up numerous postseason honors and played in multiple all-star games following the 2017-18 season.
The Charlotte, North Carolina, native ended ranked No. 20 by Rivals.com, No. 21 by 247Sports.com and No. 24 by ESPN100. A three-time all-state selection at Providence Day School, Dotson averaged 28.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists his senior year.
Although he has only seen him operate in a handful of practices and a few scrimmages since joining the Jayhawks, Kansas coach Bill Self already believes big things are in store for Dotson, [whom Self recently said had a chance to be “a great one.”][1]
By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2019 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award will be narrowed to 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Cousy and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The winner of the 2019 Bob Cousy Award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show in Los Angeles on April 12, 2019.
Bob Cousy played for Holy Cross from 1946-50 winning an NCAA Championship in 1947. He was named a Consensus First-Team All-American in 1950. His success continued at the professional level as a six-time NBA Champion (1957, 1959-63), NBA Most Valuable Player (1957) and 13-time NBA All-Star (1951-63). In 1996, he was named a member of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
Previous winners of the Bob Cousy Award include: Jalen Brunson, Villanova (2018), FRANK MASON III, KANSAS (2017), Tyler Ulis, Kentucky (2016), Delon Wright, Utah (2015), Shabazz Napier, Connecticut (2014), Trey Burke, Michigan (2013), Kendall Marshall, North Carolina (2012), Kemba Walker, Connecticut (2011), Greivis Vasquez, Maryland (2010), Ty Lawson, North Carolina (2009), DJ Augustin, Texas (2008), Acie Law, Texas A&M (2007), Dee Brown, Illinois (2006), Raymond Felton, North Carolina (2005) and Jameer Nelson, St. Joseph’s (2004).
For more information on the 2019 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award, log onto www.hoophallawards.com.
2019 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award Candidates
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Jared Harper, Auburn
Ky Bowman, Boston College
Tre Jones, Duke
Josh Perkins, Gonzaga
**Devon Dotson, Kansas**
Tremont Waters, LSU
Markus Howard, Marquette
Jon Elmore, Marshall
Cassius Winston, Michigan State
Cody Martin, Nevada
Ahmad Carver, Old Dominion
Payton Pritchard, Oregon
Carsen Edwards, Purdue
Shamorie Ponds, St. John’s
Alex Robinson, TCU
Jordan Bone, Tennessee
Jaylen Hands, UCLA
Jahvon Quinerly, Villanova
Ty Jerome, Virginia
Justin Robinson, Virginia Tech
*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2018-19 season*
[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2018/oct/09/rookie-point-guard-devon-dotson-starting-ahead-hug/