Kansas basketball will go as far as Devon Dotson takes them, which can be really far

Devon Dotson has been one of the best players in college basketball this season and is the clear leader of the No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks squad. His performances will be the key to this team continuing their successes in March.

In a season of college basketball that has been a roller coaster of performances, to put it likely, trying to find a consistent focal point on the season has been difficult. On a talented No. 3 Kansas roster, sophomore point guard Devon Dotson has been perhaps the sturdiest rock of all in the world of college basketball.

In the middle of a crazy season for Kansas basketball that has seen brawls, big losses and suspensions mixed in with the opposites of big wins, and a consistently high-ranked squad, Dotson has been the clear-cut leader and best player on the team.

It’s why he’s a leading candidate for the National Player of the Year race.

He’s a large part of the reason Bill Self’s team sits as the No. 8 offense and No. 3 defense in the same KenPom rankings, despite playing the nation’s toughest schedule so far.

Dotson has led this team through the year, despite being set back by a hip injury himself that made him miss just one game against the Oklahoma Sooners. In his return from that absence on Jan. 18, he played through the pain straight into a 39-minute outing against Texas.

Though the team also features talented individuals like the formidable Udoka Azubuike and Dotson’s fellow sophomore guard Ochai Agbaji, Dotson’s leadership and on-court talent can’t be dismissed. For a Wildcats team that lacks experienced depth, performances from those mentioned above in addition to guys like junior Marcus Garrett will be increasingly important heading down the stretch as March grows more and nearer.

Talent will take you far in the world of basketball, but a true team requires a leader to pull it all together.

Right now Dotson leads Kansas in points and it isn’t even close. Dotson is averaging 18 points per game in 34 minutes played, with the next closest—Azubuike—at 12.8 points per game. After that, the scoring drops significantly, with Agbaji the only other player averaging double figures.

Though Dotson takes the runner-up spot in terms of assists per game (though you have an EASY guess at who is scoring off of them), he only falls into second place behind junior Marcus Garrett by a third of an assist per game, at 4.6 to 4.3 respectively. “Dot,” as his teammates call him, contributes about four rebounds a game as well, to add to over two assists per game.

A typically stoic and understated player, Dotson sits as the heart, soul and leader of the Jayhawks. A fast and elusive guard, with a decent 3-point shot, he will be the focal point of any opposition looking to take down this Kansas team going forward.

He’s one of the more memorable guards that Kansas has had since the days of Frank Jackson, and he’s the key to the season for this Kansas team before he’ll be more than likely to test the waters of the NBA Draft.

For more NCAA basketball news, analysis, opinion and features, check out more from the FanSided college basketball section to stay on top of the latest action.