Mark Sears Embracing High Expectations With 'Hunted' Rather Than Hunter Mentality

The Preseason SEC Player of the Year shares his thoughts on Alabama ahead of the season.

Oct 15, 2024; Birmingham, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Mark Sears talks with the media during SEC Media Days at Grand Bohemian Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images / Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.— Alabama star point guard Mark Sears, recently named the Preseason SEC Player of the Year, spoke to the press at SEC Media Day on Tuesday afternoon, addressing his draft process, newcomers to the roster and the sky-high expectations for him and the team this season.

The graduate senior guard understands that he and the Crimson Tide need to have a shifted perspective going into this year, and he says it is something they must keep in mind every day in practice.

"It changes the outlook because now you're going to be the hunted," Sears said. "Last year, I was the one to hunt other players now it's going to be vise versa. It really just helps me because I know I can't take plays off, can't take days off, practices off because I'm being hunted."

Sears is using the recognition that he is going to be the one being "hunted" this offseason as motivation. Last year, no one viewed the Tide as a threat to make a deep tournament run. But the script has flipped and the team is now bestowed with lofty expectations and Sears is embracing that going into this year.

Sears, after having previously been a transfer himself, is now the longest-tenured player of the program. He still views Alabama as his "dream school," and that appreciation makes him not take the leader role for granted.

"Being at Alabama, this is one of my dream schools in high school," Sears said. "Now to be a part of that and to have some success in the program, you know, means a lot to represent the state of the University of Alabama really well. In the locker room just being the positive guy and just encouraging players."

Sears is the leader of what may very well be the most talented and deepest roster in the country. Just to summarize: the team returns Sears, senior Grant Nelson, sophomore Jarin Stevenson, senior Latrell Wrightsell Jr., sophomore Mouhamed Dioubate and senior Max Scharnowski from last year's Final Four run, while adding the No. 7 transfer class and the No. 2 recruiting class.

This has kicked up the competition during practices to a new level, as the players compete for early-season minutes with many talented players at risk of being left out.

"Every day is like an SEC Tournament game," Sears said. "We're competing we're going at each other, trying to make each other better as well. Iron sharpens iron, so we're definitely getting better."

Newcomers such as transfers in sophomore Aden Holloway and graduate senior Cliff Omoruyi as well as freshmen Labaron Philon and Derrion Reid were all mentioned numerous times by Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats during his media availability.

Oats has not been shy about these expectations, not dismissing or downplaying them and even embracing the praise his team has gotten.

"Our roster is not such that anybody is picking us fifth," Oats said during his press conference. "People have asked me whether we would rather come in under the radar and surprise people or —obviously we got picked in the AP poll second, or be picked to win, and I'd say I'd much rather have the roster I currently have and deal with where we're picked."

Sears was asked about this confidence from Oats and whether he likes the idea of not downplaying the team's goals this season.

"Yeah I do," Sears said. "It's just a testament to the hard work and the recruiting class we brought in and the newcomers as well as returning players we have."

There was no shortage of enthusiasm and high spirits from the Tide at media day. The group clearly isn't lacking in confidence in what the standards for themselves are this year, in what is unquestionably the most highly anticipated Tide hoops season in the program's history.