Alabama's Mark Sears Named SEC Preseason Player Of The Year; Tide Picked To Win SEC

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Alabama men's basketball senior guard Mark Sears on Monday was named the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Preseason Player of the Year.

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Sears, a graduate student from Muscle Shoals, averaged 21.5 points per game last season and now joins Erwin Dudley (2003) as the only two players in Alabama history to earn the preseason honor.

Sears was a Second Team Associated Press All-America selection last season and a First Team All-SEC honoree.

As the 2024-25 season quickly approaches, the Crimson Tide was also selected to finish first in the SEC by local and national media. This marks the second time Alabama has been picked first in the SEC preseason poll, with previous selections in 1991 and 2003.

The senior also received First Team All-SEC accolades.

Senior forward Grant Nelson, a graduate student from Devils Lake, North Dakota, was also recognized as a Preseason Second Team All-SEC selection.

Nelson averaged 11.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game last yea and was also named to the NCAA West Region All-Tournament team following the Tide's historic Final Four run.

As Patch previously reported, the Crimson Tide is currently ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press Top 25 — the highest preseason ranking in program history.

Here's a look at preseason honors and team rankings:

First Team All-SEC

• Mark Sears (Alabama)
• Johni Broome (Auburn)
• Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida)
• Zakai Zeigler (Tennessee)
• Wade Taylor IV (Texas A&M)

Second Team All-SEC

• Grant Nelson (Alabama)
• Jonas Aidoo (Arkansas)
• Johnell Davis (Arkansas)
• Matthew Morrell (Ole Miss)
• Josh Hubbard (Mississippi State)

Third Team All-SEC

• Chad Baker-Mazara (Auburn)
• Alex Condon (Florida)
• Jaxson Robinson (Kentucky)
• Collin Murray-Boyles (South Carolina)
• Tramon Mark (Texas)

Predicted Order of Finish

1. Alabama
2. Auburn
3. Tennessee
4. Arkansas
5. Texas A&M
6. Florida
7. Texas
8. Kentucky
9. Ole Miss
10. Mississippi State
11. South Carolina
12. Georgia
13. Missouri
14. LSU
15. Oklahoma
16. Vanderbilt

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