Alabama's John Petty Jr. Named to Preseason All-SEC First Team, Crimson Tide Predicted to Finish Fifth

Nate Oats' squad was picked to finish inside the top five in the Southeastern Conference for the 2020-2021 campaign

University of Alabama guard John Petty Jr. is one of the Crimson Tide's returning four players from a season ago, and on Thursday afternoon, the Southeastern Conference announced that he was named to the Preseason All-SEC First Team. 

In a vote with media of the SEC and national media, No. 25 Alabama was picked to finish fifth in the conference, while No. 12 Tennessee was picked to win the league. 

It is the first time since the 2008-2009 campaign that the Volunteers have been picked to finish first.

Last season, Petty averaged 14.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game on his way to earning All-SEC second teams honors. He led the SEC in three-point field goal percentage at 44 percent and was second in the conference in threes made per game at 2.93. 

Joining Petty on the Preseason All-SEC First Team was Kentucky's Brandon Boston Jr., Tennessee's John Fulkerson, LSU's Trendon Watford, and Florida's Keyontae Johnson, who was also picked to win the league's Player of the Year Award. 

Here is the full release from the SEC including the projected order of finish:

First Team All-SEC

John Petty Jr. – Alabama

Keyontae Johnson – Florida

Brandon Boston Jr. – Kentucky

Trendon Watford – LSU

John Fulkerson – Tennessee

Second Team All-SEC

Olivier Sarr – Kentucky

Javonte Smart – LSU

Dru Smith – Missouri

AJ Lawson – South Carolina

Yves Pons – Tennessee

Savion Flagg – Texas A&M

SEC Player of the Year

Keyontae Johnson – Florida

Preseason Media Poll

1. Tennessee

2. Kentucky

3. LSU

4. Florida

5. Alabama

6. Arkansas

7. Auburn

8. South Carolina

9. Ole Miss

10. Missouri

11. Texas A&M

12. Mississippi State

13. Georgia

14. Vanderbilt