Remember a year ago, when all of the national college basketball analysts — and tens of thousands of amateur pundits, as well — kept singing the praises of KU guard Frank Mason III for national player of the year?

It’s happening again.

Maybe not with the same intensity and frequency. And it’s even less likely that this Jayhawk will sweep the awards like Mason did a season ago. But there’s no doubt that senior point guard Devonte’ Graham has played himself into the conversation.

Graham’s senior season, like Mason’s before it, has been nothing short of spectacular. They have not been mirror images of one another and there were things that Mason did well that Graham doesn’t and vice versa. But both Jayhawks are extreme competitors and both found/are finding themselves in the same discussions nearly a year apart.