Devon Dotson could be a hidden gem in the 2020 NBA Draft
It was a real shame that we didn’t get to see the 2020 NCAA tournament this year. This year’s Kansas Jayhawks were 17-1, arguably the best team in the nation, and likely on pace to make another Final Four (at the very least). If they got a run in March Madness this past year, Devon Dotson would have been a surefire candidate to move up draft boards.
Dotson is the sophomore guard who is the engine that drives Kansas’ offense. Turn on his tape, and only one word comes to mind: Electric! His game is built on pure speed and sneaky athleticism.
His drives to the basket and ability to get to the rim are right with the top of the class. Dotson is also a tenacious on-ball defender. It’s clear that he is one of the best players in the country, and who knows what he could’ve done in the tournament.
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With the draft coming in the near future, Dotson is currently projected to be a late-first to early-second round selection. A contending team might actually get lucky that Dotson didn’t get to rise in the tournament because there’s reason to believe he could be a starting point guard.
What’s special about Devon Dotson?
What really stands out about Dotson is his speed, and ability to get to the rim. He is one of the best players in the whole class in terms of splitting a defense, getting to the basket, and scoring.
With a head of steam on him in transition, he seems unstoppable. He doesn’t have the amazing passing vision of other guards but he can hit teammates on the break. Of course, his speed allows him to also just rip to the basket as he converted 58 percent of transition opportunities during his time at Kansas.
Dotson is a competitor plain and simple. At only 6-foot-1 and 6-foot-2, he plays aggressively on defense. He has a knack for playing passing lanes and getting steals with an excellent 2.9 steal percentage. Dotson also tries hard, he gets up in opposing guards faces, he understands how to be a cog in a team.
In the right situation, Dotson can be an energy player as a starter or in the rotation. He’s a focal point player, someone that coaches can run the offense through.
The concerns about Dotson?
Dotson is a smaller point guard at around 6-foot-2, 184 lbs. Some teams view that as a weakness. For all his defensive efforts, people wonder if that could translate into the NBA with his smaller frame.
In a league where Trey Young is a starting point guard, that weakness feels to be a bit overblown. Smaller guards can thrive in the modern NBA.
When watching Dotson, the biggest red flag for him right now is streaky shooting. His 3-point shooting dropped from 36 percent in his freshman year to just 30 percent this year. Shooting is a skill that can be acquired though, and his 80 percent free-throw percentage bodes well for his improvement.
For having great speed and handle, Dotson is a little to right-hand dominant; he doesn’t seem to be comfortable enough operating with his left-hand yet but for a lot of pros dexterity comes with time.
Dotson’s potential
At Dotson’s floor, he can be an excellent sixth-man guard. He tapes look a lot like Cory Joseph, a small speedy guard with good defensive instincts. Dotson’s offense gives him much more potential though.
Joseph was never the offensive player that Dotson was. This may seem a little bit crazy but Dotson really has similarities to a young Tony Parker. If he can add more of the dexterity and moves like a floater to his game Dotson could be a starting lead guard.
He may never achieve the heights that Tony Parker reached in his time in the NBA, but Dotson can do a lot for a team in the same way Parker did for the San Antonio Spurs.
Much like Parker, what Dotson needs for his career to flourish is a location where he can grow to reach his potential in the NBA, luckily with where he is projected there’s a good amount of options.
Good landing spots
The first spot that feels like a good place for Dotson is Milwaukee. The Bucks are one of the best teams in the league and recently they have shown excellent player development under coach Mike Budenholzer. In Milwaukee, Dotson would get to learn under another guard who is similar to him in Eric Bledsoe.
With the Bucks, there’s a good chance he develops a better jumper and all-around game which would be a great asset to Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The other location that looks to be a real strong spot for Dotson would be the Miami Heat. The Heat are a team that has a long-term need for a point guard and Dotson would fit their culture. Dotson is a high-character player who needs growth, which is something Miami likes.
Miami has the best player development program in the league and they would be an excellent place for Dotson to slow down and improve. If he does reach his ceiling in Miami, he would be one of the pieces that round out a championship-contending roster.
In the right hands, Devon Dotson might be one of the most lethal guards in the 2020 NBA Draft and a player that has a long career in the NBA.