Alabama's Mark Sears, Grant Nelson Named to Naismith Trophy Watch List

This award is presented annually to the most outstanding men's basketball player in the country.

Mar 30, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Mark Sears (1) celebrates after defeating the Clemson Tigers in the finals of the West Regional of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Alabama men's basketball point guard Mark Sears has been showered with preseason award-winning predictions ahead of the Crimson Tide's most hyped-up season in program history and that continued on Wednesday with perhaps the biggest honor as he was named to the Naismith Trophy watch list.

This is presented annually to the most outstanding men's basketball player in the country, and Sears certainly is a valid candidate to take home the coveted award as also this preseason he's been named to the 2024-25 Preseason All-SEC First Team, the preseason's SEC Player of the Year, received the most votes to land a spot on the Preseason AP All-American Team and is also on the Bob Cousy Award watch list.

On Oct. 14, Alabama was placed at No. 2 in the 2024-25 Preseason AP Poll, easily its highest-ever initial placement. The Crimson Tide has now been ranked in the Preseason AP Poll 22 times, with its previously highest placement coming at No. 7 in 1990-91. Sears is a big reason for that as the 6-foot-1 point guard was named an AP All-America Second Team member and All-SEC First Team member last season after averaging 21.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists.

Alabama's stellar preseason placement in the polls isn't solely due to the 2023-24 efforts of Sears, as forward Grant Nelson also made a ton of noise last season, when the preseason All-SEC Second Team member averaged 11.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. Perhaps his breakout game occurred in the Sweet 16 against one-seeded North Carolina, when he dropped 24 points, 12 rebounds and monstrous five blocks. This performance helped Nelson join Sears on the Naismith Trophy Watch list on Wednesday.

Following the Crimson Tide's first-ever Final Four appearance, Alabama head coach Nate Oats and his staff, several returning players, including Sears and Nelson, multiple experienced transfers and highly touted incoming freshmen all give Alabama realistic expectations to get two more wins than last season's NCAA Tournament to claim the school's first-ever National Title.

Sears and Nelson will get to begin their Naismith Trophy and National Title campaigns when Alabama tips off its regular season at home against UNC Asheville next Monday, Nov. 4 at 8 p.m. CT on ESPNU.