Mark Sears announces return to Alabama for senior season

Mark Sears ended up being a key cog in one of the best seasons ever for Alabama basketball after transferring in from Ohio.

Now, per his own social media, he has announced that he will be back with the Crimson Tide for his senior season in 2022-2023.

I’m Back! #RollTide🐘 pic.twitter.com/Xw9CMb3cqx

— Mark Sears (@imcsears) May 30, 2023

Sears averaged 12.5 points per game last season, which was the second most for the Tide. He did so as a full-time starter in their 37 games. In those appearances, he finished in double figures 22 times and finished with 20 points or more four times.

Sears also posted 3.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and a team-high 1.2 steals per game. Sears shot 34.5% from three as well on a career-high 1.9 makes from distance. That production altogether earned Sears a spot on the All-SEC Second Team.

This came after his two seasons with the Bobcats in Athens. As a sophomore, he averaged 19.6 points per game as the MAC’s second-leading scorer. That’s when Nate Oats elected to scoop him out of the portal as one of Alabama’s two transfers last offseason.

After testing the waters for the NBA Draft, Sears will now be back to lead the Crimson Tide in the SEC. With several pieces switching on and off of ‘Bama’s roster from last season, Sears should be primed for another big role as an experienced option in their backcourt rotation next year.

More on the 2023 NBA Draft

The 2023 NBA Draft is set to take place on Thursday, June 22, 2023, in Brooklyn at Barclays Center. Round 1 of the draft will be announced by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum will then handle the second round of picks.

To be eligible for the NBA Draft, players must be at least 19 years in age during the calendar year that the draft is held and at least one NBA season from their high school graduation date, or the date that would have been if they are not graduated. It is not required that player spend that one year playing college basketball, though. Players can play in either college, abroad, or the G League Ignite if they choose so.

While this is a significant change from what the rules once were, players are eligible to enter their names into the NBA Draft pool and explore their options by hiring an agent to go through the process, while still keeping their college eligibility. The deadline to make that move is on April 23 beginning at 11:59 p.m. ET. Players have until June 12 at 5 p.m. ET to withdraw their name from the pool and return to college.

The NBA Draft Lottery will be held on May 16, which is also the start of the NBA Conference Finals.