Azubuike and Dotson Named to Naismith Trophy Watch List

ATLANTA – Kansas senior Udoka Azubuike and sophomore Devon Dotson have been named to the 2020 Citizen Naismith Trophy Men’s Basketball Player of the Year players to watch list, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Monday. A total of 50 student-athletes comprise the players to watch list.

Azubuike and Dotson have received numerous preseason honors heading into the 2019-20 season. On Oct. 22, the Associated Press listed the KU duo as receiving votes when it announced its preseason All-America men’s basketball team. A total of 21 players were recognized in the preseason announcement, voted on by a 65-member media panel. Kansas was the only school with two players listed.

On Oct. 16, Azubuike was named the Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year and Preseason All-Big 12 by the conference coaches. He was also named one of 20 on the Kareen Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year watch list. Dotson joined Azubuike on the five-member Preseason All-Big 12 team and was one of 20 on the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year watch list.

Azubuike played in nine games in 2018-19 before an injury sidelined him for the season. The 7-foot-0, 270-pound center from Delta, Nigeria, averaged 13.4 points and 6.8 rebounds while shooting 70.5 percent from the field last season. As a sophomore in leading Kansas to the 2018 Final Four, Azubuike led the nation with a 77.0 field goal percentage, which ranks second-best for a season in NCAA history and set the KU and Big 12 single-season records. He averaged 13.0 points and 7.0 rebounds while being named an All-Big 12 Third Team selection. Azubuike is a two-time Academic All-Big 12 selection.

As a freshman, Dotson (6-foot-2, 185) started every game for Kansas in 2018-19 and ranked 12th in the Big 12 in scoring at 12.3 points per game. The Charlotte, N.C., guard was a member of the 2019 All-Big 12 Third Team and the league’s all-freshman team. Dotson also ranked sixth in the conference in assists (3.5), 11th in field goal percentage (48.2), tied for ninth in steals (1.4) and ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.6). He averaged 15.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists in leading KU to the Big 12 Tournament title game and was named to the event’s all-tournament team.

2020 Citizen Naismith Trophy Men’s Preseason Watch List

NAME, POS., SCHOOL (listed alphabetical)
Bryce Aiken, F, Harvard
Cole Anthony, G, North Carolina
UDOKA AZUBUIKE, C, KANSAS
Kamar Baldwin, G, Butler
Charles Bassey, C, Western Kentucky
Kerry Blackshear Jr., F, Florida
Vernon Carey Jr., C, Duke
Yoeli Childs, F, BYU
Tristan Clark, F, Baylor
Anthony Cowan Jr., G, Maryland
Jarron Cumberland, G, Cincinnati
Mamadi Diakite, F, Virginia
Alpha Diallo, G, Providence
Ayo Dosunmu, G, Illinois
DEVON DOTSON, G, KANSAS
Anthony Edwards, G, Georgia
Jordan Ford, G, St. Mary’s
Kellan Grady, G, Davidson
Jon Axel Gudmundsson, G, Davidson
Ashton Hagans, G, Kentucky
Tyrese Haliburton, G, Iowa State
Markus Howard, G, Marquette
Markell Johnson, G, NC State
Tre Jones, G, Duke
Anthony Lamb, F, Vermont
Kira Lewis Jr., G, Alabama
Nico Mannion, G, Arizona
Naji Marshall, F, Xavier
Tyrese Maxey, G, Kentucky
Skylar Mays, G, LSU
Sam Merrill, G, Utah State
John Mooney, F, Notre Dame
Andrew Nembhard, G, Florida
Jordan Nwora, F, Louisville
Reggie Perry, F, Mississippi State
Myles Powell, G, Seton Hall
Payton Pritchard, G, Oregon
Zavier Simpson, G, Michigan
Jalen Smith, F, Maryland
Lamar Stevens, F, Penn State
Isaiah Stewart, F, Washington
Killian Tillie, F, Gonzaga
Xavier Tillman, F, Michigan State
Tres Tinkle, F, Oregon State
Obi Toppin, F, Dayton
Breein Tyree, G, Ole Miss
Kaleb Wesson, F, Ohio State
Cassius Winston, G, Michigan State
James Wiseman, C, Memphis
McKinley Wright IV, G, Colorado

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