🏀 Azubuike and Dotson on Wooden Award National Ballot

LOS ANGELES – Kansas senior Udoka Azubuike and sophomore Devon Dotson are among the 15 named to the 2020 Men’s National Ballot for the John R. Wooden Award presented by Wendy’s, the Los Angeles Downtown Athletic Club announced Saturday. Kansas is the only school with multiple players on the ballot.

This is the fifth-straight year a Jayhawk has made the Wooden Award final ballot. In 2016, KU’s Perry Ellis was named Wooden All-American. The following season Frank Mason III won the award. In 2018, Devonte’ Graham was one of five finalists for the Wooden Award, also earning Wooden All-American honors. Last year, Dedric Lawson was on the Wooden Award final ballot. Besides Mason in 2017, KU’s Danny Manning won the Wooden Award in 1988.

Azubuike leads the NCAA in field goal percentage at 75.1%. The Delta, Nigeria, center is the only player in the Big 12 averaging a double-double with 13.7 ppg and 10.4 rpg. He is averaging 17.8 ppg and 13.7 rpg in his last six outings with 17 blocked shots. A three-time Big 12 Player of the Week (1/27, 2/10, 2/24) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year finalist, Azubuike also leads the Big 12 in double-doubles with 14 and is second in blocked shots at 2.6. A force in Big 12 play, Azubuike is the only player in the NCAA averaging a double-double (13.9 ppg, 11.6 rpg) and 3+ blocks (3.1 bpg) in conference games this season.

Azubuike recorded his 1,000th-career point on Feb. 24 vs. Oklahoma State. He is the sixth Jayhawk in KU history to post 1,000 points, 600 rebounds and 150 blocks in a career.

A Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year finalist (1 of 5), Dotson leads the Big 12 in scoring at 18.2 points per game, which includes nine 20-point efforts this season, and steals at 2.1. A three-time Big 12 Player of the Week (12/2, 12/16, 2/3), Dotson also leads the conference in free throws made with 138. The Charlotte, N.C., guard ranks among the Big 12 leaders in scoring, steals, free throws made, field goal percentage (second at 47.1), assists (fifth at 4.0) and assist-to-turnover ratio (fifth at 1.7).

Dotson is looking to become the fifth Jayhawk and the eighth underclassman to be the Big 12’s top scorer. Previous Wooden Award winners who were underclassmen and led the Big 12 in scoring were Kevin Durant of Texas in 2007 and Blake Griffin of Oklahoma in 2009.

All balloted players have been certified by their university to meet or exceed the qualifications for the Wooden Award as set forth by Coach Wooden when the Award was established. The qualifications include: candidates must exhibit strength of character, both on and off the court; candidates must be full-time students in an accredited NCAA college or university; candidates must be making progress toward graduation and have a cumulative 2.00 grade point average since enrolling in their school; candidates must contribute to team effort; candidates must excel in both offense and defense; and candidates should be considered on their performance over the course of the entire season.

Voting will take place from March 16^th to March 23^rd, and voters take into consideration a player’s entire season of play, as well as the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

The Wooden Award All American Team, consisting of the nation’s top five players and the finalists for the Wooden Award, which is widely considered the most prestigious honor in college basketball, will be announced following the “Elite Eight” round of the NCAA Tournament and will be the focus of a 30-minute show on April 3^rd on ESPNU at 5:30 p.m. (CT).

The 44^th annual presentation of the John R. Wooden Award to the men’s and women’s most outstanding college basketball player will be the anchor presentation of the ESPN College Basketball Awards Presented by Wendy’s on ESPN2 on Friday, April 10, 2020. The men’s and women’s John R. Wooden Award All American Team will be honored during the ceremony, and the 2020 Wooden Award Legends of Coaching Trophy will be presented to C. Vivian Stringer, Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Rutgers.

John R. Wooden Award
Presented By Wendy’s

2019-20 Men’s National Ballot

*indicates player was selected as 2018-19 Wooden Award All American

2019-20 Udoka Azubuike Honors
Wooden Award National Ballot (1 of 15)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Finalist (1 of 5)
Naismith Trophy Semifinalist (1 of 10)
Academic All-Big 12 First Team (2.27.20)
NCAA.com Player of the Week (2.24.20)
Naismith Trophy Player of the Week (2.24.20)
3x Big 12 Player of the Week (1.27.20, 2.10.20, 2.24.20)
Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List (1 of 12)
Senior CLASS Award Finalist (1 of 10)
Sporting News Midseason All-America Third Team
Maui Invitational Co-MVP & All-Tournament Team
NABC Player of the Year Watch List (1 of 20)
Preseason Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention
Preseason All-Big 12
Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year

2019-20 Devon Dotson Honors
Wooden Award National Ballot (1 of 15)
Naismith Trophy Semifinalist (1 of 10)
Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List (1 of 12)
Wooden Award Late Season Top-20 (2.3.20)
Bob Cousy Award Finalist (1 of 5)
3x Big 12 Player of the Week (12.16.19, 12.2.19, 2.3.20)
Sporting News Midseason All-America Third Team
Maui Invitational Co-MVP & All-Tournament Team
NABC Player of the Year Watch List (1 of 20)
Preseason Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention
Preseason All-Big 12