KU’s Dedric Lawson named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year

Guards Devon Dotson, Marcus Garrett also honored on 2019 all-Big 12 teams

Kansas forward Dedric Lawson (1) puts up a three over Oklahoma State forward Cameron McGriff (12) during the first half, Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019 at Allen Fieldhouse.

He delivered 20 double-doubles, averaged 19.1 points and 10.6 rebounds per game and helped lead the Kansas men’s basketball team to a perfect record at Allen Fieldhouse.

All of that, and more, led to KU junior Dedric Lawson earning Big 12 Newcomer of the Year honors, the conference announced Sunday morning.

Lawson, the 6-foot-9 Memphis transfer who started every game of the regular season for the Jayhawks in his first season of eligibility with the program, also earned first team all-Big 12 honors and became one of just a handful of players in Big 12 history to lead the conference in points and rebounds in the same season, joining the likes of Blake Griffin, Kevin Durant and Michael Beasley.

He becomes the second consecutive Jayhawk to be named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, joining Malik Newman, who earned the honor in 2017-18.

Dating back to the Big Eight Conference, Lawson is the 10th Kansas player to be named its conference’s newcomer of the year.

He was edged out in player of the year voting by Texas Tech’s Jarrett Culver, who joined 2019 Big 12 coach of the year, Texas Tech’s Chris Beard, in picking up the conference’s two biggest individual honors.

“I’m proud of Dedric being first team, and you know he was right there for player of the year,” KU coach Bill Self said. “Jarrett probably deserved it based on how their team finished and how he finished, and I thought Barry was right there as well. I thought either one would have been a good choice.”

Culver was a huge part of the reason KU’s streak of 14 consecutive Big 12 regular season titles came to an end this season, with Texas Tech earning a share of the 2018-19 Big 12 title with Kansas State at 14-4. KU finished the season 12-6, with road losses to both programs.

Culver ranked third in the Big 12 in scoring (18.3), fifth in assists (3.6) and 10th in rebounding (6.2). Those numbers included a monster 31-point outing at Iowa State on Saturday in a win that delivered the Red Raiders a share of the title.

Culver and Lawson were joined by Kansas State’s Barry Brown Jr. and Dean Wade and Iowa State’s Marial Shayok on the all-Big 12 first team.

Culver, Brown and Lawson were unanimous first team picks and Wade, the Big 12’s preseason player of the year, was the only repeat first-team selection from last season.

Two other Jayhawks joined Lawson in being honored by the Big 12 coaches on Sunday.

Freshman Devon Dotson, who averaged 12.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.8 apg and 1.3 spg in Big 12 play, earned third team all-Big 12 honors and was named to the five-man all-freshman team. And sophomore Marcus Garrett was named to the all-defensive squad.

“I think Dedric being named first team and Devon third team are very deserving,” Self said. “The only thing I am disappointed with is I thought Devon should have been second team.

“The other thing that is disappointing is, without Udoka (Azuibuike) and Lagerald (Vick) eligible, you don’t have anybody that made honorable mention, which is probably a first for us in many, many years. I thought it was good for those two (Dedric and Devon) and I thought Marcus making the all-defensive team was definitely deserving and I think he would have a chance for defensive player of the year if he hadn’t got injured.”

The Associated Press also will release its all-Big 12 honors on Tuesday.

“Overall, it was solid,” Self added of the postseason selections made by the Big 12 coaches. “Nothing unexpected happened. If anything, this will be motivation for all the players either selected or not selected to go either validate their season-long performance in the upcoming tournaments or to prove people wrong. It just adds to the competitiveness of the tournaments.”

Here’s a look at the rest of the all-Big 12 honors for the 2018-19 season. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players.

All-Big 12 2018-19

Player of the Year: Jarrett Culver, Texas Tech

Coach of the Year: Chris Beard, Texas Tech

Newcomer of the Year: Dedric Lawson, Kansas

Defensive Player of the Year: Barry Brown, Jr., Kansas State

Freshman of the Year: Jaxson Hayes, Texas

Sixth Man Award: Lindell Wigginton, Iowa State

Most Improved Player Award: Kristian Doolittle, Oklahoma

First Team

Marial Shayok, Iowa State

Dedric Lawson, Kansas

Barry Brown, Jr., Kansas State

Dean Wade, Kansas State

Jarrett Culver, Texas Tech

Second Team

Makai Mason, Baylor

Jaxson Hayes, Texas

Desmond Bane, TCU

Matt Mooney, Texas Tech

Derek Culver, West Virginia

Third Team

Devon Dotson, Kansas

Kristian Doolittle, Oklahoma

Christian James, Oklahoma

Alex Robinson, TCU

David Moretti, Texas Tech

Honorable Mention

Jared Butler (Baylor), Mario Kegler (Baylor), Mark Vital (Baylor), Talen Horton-Tucker (Iowa State), Nick Weiler-Babb (Iowa State), Lindell Wigginton (Iowa State), Xavier Sneed (Kansas State), Kamau Stokes (Kansas State), Brady Manek (Oklahoma), Cameron McGriff (Oklahoma State), Lindy Waters (Oklahoma State), Kouat Noi (TCU), Matt Coleman III (Texas), Kerwin Roach II (Texas), Tariq Owens (Texas Tech)

All-Defensive Team

Mark Vital, Baylor

Marcus Garrett, Kansas

Barry Brown, Jr., Kansas State

Jaxson Hayes, Texas

Matt Mooney, Texas Tech

Tariq Owens, Texas Tech

All-Newcomer Team

Makai Mason, Baylor

Marial Shayok, Iowa State

Dedric Lawson, Kansas

Jaxson Hayes, Texas

Matt Mooney, Texas Tech

All-Freshman Team

Jared Butler, Baylor

Talen Horton-Tucker, Iowa State

Devon Dotson, Kansas

Jaxson Hayes, Texas

Derek Culver, West Virginia

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