Alabama basketball was not picked to repeat as SEC champions, but the Crimson Tide did receive some recognition as the conference announced its preseason poll and preseason all-conference teams Tuesday morning.
Alabama was picked to finish second in the SEC while Tide guards Jaden Shackelford and Jahvon Quinerly both earned first-team honors. Kentucky was projected to win the conference. Vanderbilt's Scotty Pippen Jr. was selected as the Preseason SEC Player of the Year
The poll and all-conference teams were determined by a select panel of both SEC and national media members.
Alabama was picked to finish fifth in last season’s preseason poll. The Tide went on to win the SEC regular-season title with a 16-2 conference record. From there, Alabama won the conference tournament, marking the first time since 1987 that the Tide won both titles in the same season. Alabama finished the season 26-7, making it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament before ending its season with an overtime loss to UCLA.
Alabama will open its season on Nov. 9 as it hosts Louisiana Tech at 8 p.m. CT inside Coleman Coliseum. The game will be televised on SEC Network.
First Team All-SEC
Jaden Shackelford – Alabama
Jahvon Quinerly – Alabama
Colin Castleton – Florida
Sahvir Wheeler – Kentucky
Iverson Molinar – Mississippi State
Scotty Pippen Jr. – Vanderbilt
Second Team All-SEC
Davonte Davis – Arkansas
Jabari Smith – Auburn
Keion Brooks Jr. – Kentucky
Kellan Grady – Kentucky
Oscar Tshiebwe – Kentucky
Darius Days – LSU
SEC Player of the Year
Scotty Pippen Jr. – Vanderbilt
Preseason Media Poll
1. Kentucky
2. Alabama
3. Arkansas
4. Tennessee
5. Auburn
6. LSU
7. Florida
8. Mississippi State
9. Ole Miss
10. Missouri
11. South Carolina
12. Texas A&M
13. Vanderbilt
14. Georgia