Alabama’s Mark Sears was a near-unanimous selection for The Associated Press preseason All-America men’s basketball team released Monday.
The point guard earned all but one vote from a 55-person national media panel.
Sears was key in the Tide’s first trip to the Final Four a year ago, leading one of college basketball’s highest-scoring teams.
The 6-foot-1 guard was named a second-team AP All-America after averaging 21.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists. He was the first Division I player in 31 years to have 795 points, 150 rebounds, 145 assists and 95 three-pointers in a single season while breaking the Alabama single-season record with 26 games with at least 20 points.
Sears worked out for NBA scouts during the offseason before deciding to return to Alabama.
Alabama men’s basketball is predicted to win the SEC for the 2024-25 season, according to media voting released by the conference last week.
The Crimson Tide, ranked No. 2 in the first AP poll of the season, is fresh off its first Final Four appearance in program history.
Sears received the most votes for SEC preseason player of the year. He was also a first-team All-SEC selection.
Here’s who made the list:
- Mark Sears, Alabama, 6-1, 190 pounds, senior, 54 of 55 votes (17.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.3 apg, 50.8 fg pct, 85.7 FT pct)
- RJ Davis, North Carolina, 6-0, 180, senior, 51 (21.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.5 apg, 47 steals, 86.7 FT pct)
- Hunter Dickinson, Kansas, 7-2, 265, senior, 42 (17.9 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 2.3 apg, 54.8 fg pct, 47 blocks)
- Johni Broome, Auburn, 6-10, 240, junior, 34 (16.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 54.8 fg pct, 78 blocks)
- Caleb Love, Arizona, 6-4, 205, senior, 24 (18 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.5 apg, 93 3-pointers, 44 steals)
- Cooper Flagg, Duke, 6-9, 205, freshman, 24 (16.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.8 spg, 2.7 bpg at Monteverde Academy in Florida)
Others receiving votes: Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton (15 votes); Alex Karaban, UConn (10); LJ Cryer, Houston (5); Braden Smith, Purdue (5); Kam Jones, Marquette (2); Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State (2); Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M; Johnell Davis, Arkansas; Norchard Omier, Baylor; Ace Bailey, Rutgers; Robbie Avila, Saint Louis; Tucker DeVries, West Virginia; Tre Johnson, Texas
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
