Devon Dotson is one of those guys teetering on the edge of being a first-round pick. He was one of the better players on a good Kansas squad and exciting to watch. I’ve seen him bouncing back and forth between the late first round and early second. This draft gets guard-heavy the later you go, so it is possible that Dotson slides up into one of those late picks. For that reason, let’s take a closer look at the 6’2 guard from Kansas.
Strengths: Speed, Athleticism, Attacking the Rim
Dotson may very well be the quickest player in the draft. His speed combined with his crazy athleticism make him dangerous when he drives to the rim. He’s able to hang in the air and adjust his shot on the fly. Sometimes that can backfire and the guard looks stupid. Other times it’s an amazing make and those two points could be key as the game goes on. Dotson has great control and poise when attacking off the dribble. His speed combined with a good first step gets him around lesser defenders and allows him to make something happen.
Weaknesses: Shooting, Size
A lot of guys will say size doesn’t matter. It absolutely does, especially when it comes to NBA players. Granted, there are some exceptions to the rules, but unless that player has something that he can use to overcome his small frame, then that person will have a tough time in the NBA. There isn’t one part of Dotson’s game that really stands out. He shot worse his sophomore season than when he was a freshman and he doesn’t distribute the ball well. Dotson is a scoring guard but doesn’t shine in any other category.
I’m not real high on Devon Dotson. In fact, I did not have him going in the first round in the first mock draft. He’s gone in the first round in some mocks out there, but I don’t think he’s there. I could see Dotson going in the early second. His athleticism and rim attacking will be attractive for teams looking for better guard play from their second unit, but I have a feeling that Dotson will spend a good amount of time in the G-League before he gets significant NBA time.
