The Southeastern Conference held its annual men’s basketball media day on Tuesday, and No. 2 Alabama was a big topic of discussion.
Alabama head coach Nate Oats took the podium in the afternoon and discussed the impact of key veterans Mark Sears, Grant Nelson and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. and how they’ve developed during their time in Tuscaloosa.
“The three of those guys are much more comfortable this year than they were last year in this system,” Oats said. “They’re doing a really good job of coaching the younger guys up in what to look for.”
Oats then explained the importance of having a good mixture of older, more mature players and young talent. He mentioned that the freshmen have been playing well and he thinks that their success has come from the mentorship that the veterans are providing.
Returning players Sears and Wrightsell had individual media sessions and discussed being team leaders and the program’s goals throughout the season.
Sears was selected as the conference’s preseason player of the year, but he noted that while he is grateful for the recognition, the award “paints a target” on his back.
Sears returned to Tuscaloosa to play for Alabama rather than entering the NBA draft. He explained this decision during his interview.
“I’ve seen the team that we have,” he said. “I wanted to be a part of it to bring home Alabama’s first national championship in basketball.”
When asked how he would describe this iteration of the team, Sears boldly compared it to last season’s nearly unstoppable UConn team.
“We’re trying to have no weakness. That’s something that in the Final Four they said about UConn. That’s something that we heard them say, and it was the truth,” Sears said. “We want to be that but in our own way.”
Wrightsell kept with this theme by sharing the goals and expectations that he and his team had for the upcoming season.
“We’re trying to win four championships,” he said. “The Players Era, the SEC regular season, the SEC tournament and the national championship. Those are the expectations.”
Wrightsell was also asked about the opportunity he and the other veterans have had to mentor the freshmen.
“It’s been fun,” he said. “They’re really willing to learn. Just to be able to help them and go through my experiences in college, and understanding that I’ve been through what they want to go to, which is the Final Four. They ask a lot of questions and they’re really understanding of what we’ve got to do, and they also work really hard.”
Zooming out to the conference level, there was an emphasis on how the SEC has become one of the premier conferences in America. Most coaches referred to the nation-best nine teams ranked inside the AP preseason Top 25. Georgia head coach Mike White even called the SEC “the best league in college basketball.”
Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl talked about his pride in the state and what both programs at Alabama and Auburn have done to put the state on the map.
“Men’s basketball wasn’t there on a consistent basis. So I’m proud of both Auburn and Alabama for representing the state of Alabama and playing quality basketball, and I hope as we start this season, we can live up to those expectations,” he said.
Former Alabama forward Nick Pringle represented the South Carolina Gamecocks. His head coach, Lamont Paris, said he expects Pringle to make an impact right away and explained Pringle’s role with the Gamecocks this season.
“It will be a very significant role for Nick,” Paris said. “He’s an experienced guy. He’s from the state of South Carolina, so we’re thrilled to have him come back. He’s been experienced not only in college basketball, but he’s well-versed in SEC basketball. He’s got not only NCAA tournament experience, but he’s played in the Final Four. All of those things will serve him well.”
