Alabama Basketball Picked to Finish Fifth in SEC, Grant Nelson and Mark Sears on All-SEC Teams

The Crimson Tide is coming off an SEC regular season and tournament championship.

The Alabama Crimson Tide is going to have to earn its respect in 2023-24.

Alabama won the SEC double crown in 2022-23, and was the No. 1 overall seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. After its Sweet 16 loss to San Diego State, the Crimson Tide lost a handful of key contributors — including Brandon Miller, Noah Clowney, Jahvon Quinerly, Charles Bediako, Jaden Bradley, Noah Gurley, Dom Welch and Nimari Burnett.

That's a lot of names to replace, and the media of the SEC agrees. The Crimson Tide was voted to finish fifth in the conference in 2023-24, behind Tennessee, Texas A&M, Arkansas and Kentucky.

Just two Alabama players were selected to the preseason teams. North Dakota State transfer Grant Nelson made first team while guard Mark Sears was selected to the second team.

2023-24 SEC Basketball Preseason Order of Finish

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

Preseason All-SEC Selections

SEC Player of the Year: G Wade Taylor IV (Texas A&M)

• First Team
• F Grant Nelson (Alabama)
• F Trevon Brazile (Arkansas)
• F Johni Broome (Auburn)
• G Justin Edwards (Kentucky)
• F Tolu Smith (Mississippi State)
• G Santiago Vescovi (Tennessee)
• G Wade Taylor IV (Texas A&M)
• Second Team
• G Mark Sears (Alabama)
• G Davonte Davis (Arkansas)
• G Riley Kugel (Florida)
• G Antonio Reeves (Kentucky)
• G Zakai Zeigler (Tennessee)

The 24th-ranked Crimson Tide opens its season against Morehead State on Nov. 6 at Coleman Coliseum. Alabama will play a charity exhibition at Wake Forest on Oct. 29.

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