Alabama’s Trio of Nelson, Omoruyi and Sears Named to the Wooden Award Preseason Watch List
11/7/2024 2:20:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Annual award recognizes the nation’s top collegiate player
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama men's basketball seniors Grant Nelson, Clifford Omoruyi and Mark Sears were named to the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 Watch List. Alabama's trio are three of the top 50 student-athletes that are in consideration for the Wooden Award All-American Team and the Most Outstanding Player Award.
Alabama Notes
- Alabama is one of three schools that has three selections on the Preseason Top 50 list joining Kansas (four players) and Baylor (three players)
- Eleven players named to the top-50 list hails from the SEC
- Out of the 50 players named to the Wooden Award Watch List, Alabama will face 15 players throughout the regular season named to the list
Grant Nelson Notes
- Named to the Karl Malone Award Watch List for the second straight season
- Named to the Naismith Trophy Men's College Player of the Year
- A Preseason Second Team All-SEC selection by both coaches and media
- Named to the 2024 NCAA West Region All-Tournament Team
Clifford Omoruyi Notes
- Named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Watch List after being a finalist in 2023
- A Big Ten All-Defensive Team honoree in back-to-back seasons
- Scored 1,251 points throughout his career at Rutgers
- Became the first Rutgers player to lead the team in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots since Keith Hughes did so in the 1990-1991 season (10.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.9 bpg)
Mark Sears Notes
- Named to the Bob Cousy Award Watch List
- Along with Nelson, named to the Naismith Trophy Men's College Player of the Year Watch List
- NABC Player of the Year Watch List
- SEC Preseason Player of the Year
- Associated Press Preseason All-America First Team selection
The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2025 John R. Wooden Award Men's Player of the Year. Players not chosen to the preseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award midseason list, late season list, and the National Ballot. The National Ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the Wooden Award. Nearly 1,000 voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players when voting opens prior to the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during Tournament early round games. The Wooden Award All American Team will be announced the week of the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2025 John R. Wooden Award®, presented by Principal, will be presented at the Los Angeles Athletic Club in April.
