Alabama’s Mark Sears and North Carolina’s RJ Davis explored the possibility of leaving for the NBA before deciding to return for next college season.
Their decisions helped the team earn a top-10 ranking in the AP Top 25, and both players also earned preseason honors.
Sears was a nearly unanimous selection to the Associated Press preseason All-American men’s basketball team, it was announced Monday, receiving all but one vote from the 55-member national media panel. Davis was right behind him with 51 votes.
Kansas big man Hunter Dickinson, Auburn forward Johnny Broome, Arizona guard Caleb Love and Duke freshman Cooper Flagg also joined. Love and Flagg tied for the final spot, making a six-man team that included only the ACC, Big 12 and SEC.
Sears was a key cog in the Crimson Tide’s first trip to the Final Four a year ago, leading one of the highest-scoring teams in college basketball.
The 6-foot-1 guard averaged 21.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists and was named second-team AP All-America. He became the first Division I player in 31 years to score 795 points, 150 rebounds, 145 assists and 95 3-pointers in a single season, and broke the Alabama single-season record by appearing in 26 games with at least 20 points.
Sears decided to return to Alabama after working for an NBA scout during the offseason, helping the Crimson Tide earn a No. 2 ranking in the preseason AP Top 25.
“I saw our team and I wanted to be a part of that team and bring Alabama its first national basketball championship,” Sears said.
At cross-state rival Auburn, Broome made a quick decision about his future, announcing in April that he would return for a fifth season.
The 6-foot-10 forward was a third-team AP All-American last season after averaging 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and shooting nearly 55 percent from the floor. With an NBA future in mind, Broome worked hard on his perimeter shooting during the offseason, and his return helped Auburn rise to 11th in the preseason rankings.
“My main goal is to meet the team goal, which is to win a national championship and get as far as we can in March Madness,” Broome said. “When the team shines, everyone shines individually.”
Like Sears, Davis has similar aspirations after deciding to enter his fifth season at North Carolina.
The 6-foot guard was an AP All-American and ACC Player of the Year last season after averaging 21.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists on a team that reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Davis enters the year looking to tie former North Carolina big man Tyler Hansbrough’s all-time ACC scoring record.
“We know there is more work to be done,” Davis said. “I know my jersey won’t go up until I leave, so there are more records to break and more things to do. I’m satisfied, but not satisfied, if that makes sense.”
On his way to Duke, Flagg was the only underclassman on the preseason All-America team, arriving with huge expectations. The 6-foot-9 swingman was the No. 1 pick in high school from Newport, Maine and was projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft.
Flagg has the skill set of a guard, but can also play inside and works hard on his perimeter shooting, giving him the potential to be one of the most versatile players in college basketball. He is no. 7 are part of a standout recruiting class that Duke is looking to make big in March.
Dickinson was the biggest transfer in the transfer portal after leaving Michigan and transferring to Kansas last spring. The 7-2 center averaged 17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds to lead the Jayhawks back to the NCAA Tournament.
Dickinson’s return and an influx of talented transfers have put Kansas in first place for the season that begins Nov. 4.
Love’s decision to return for a second season with No. 10 Arizona further raised expectations in the desert for Kansas’ Big 12 rivals.
The athletic 6-foot-4 guard had a high-scoring career at North Carolina and continued that career after transferring to Arizona last season. He was Pac-12 Player of the Year and a third-team All-American after averaging 18 points per game and making 92 3-pointers.
Love tested the waters of the NBA this summer before deciding to return.
“He’s had a very successful college career so far,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. “He’s one of the last generation of players who will get better as he goes through another year, so I encourage him to take advantage of that opportunity.”
