Oats on Mark Sears being snubbed by Cousy, West awards: 'It makes no sense'
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame this week announced the top 10 candidates for the 2024 Bob Cousy and Jerry West awards, which are presented to the nation’s top point guard and shooting guard, respectively. Mark Sears was on neither list.
Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats doesn’t understand how that is possible.
“Sometimes the leading scorer in the league is on a team that’s at the bottom and they get no respect,” Oats said Tuesday. “When the leading scorer in the league is on a team that’s winning the league by themselves in first place, to me, it makes no sense why he wouldn’t be on either of the lists.
“Whoever is deciding who’s on these lists, I don’t think he’s looking at everything going on in college basketball right now, to be honest with you.”
The Alabama senior, who just earned his second SEC Player of the Week honor of the season, is 28th in the nation in points per game (20.0) and tied for first in the SEC. He also ranks fifth in the SEC in overall field goal percentage (52.0) and seventh in assists per game (3.9).
Coming off his 11th 20-point game of the season, Sears is one of four players in Division I and the only Power 5 player with 395 points, 75 rebounds, 75 assists and 45 threes this year.
Oats had admittedly not seen the top 10 candidates for either national award, but he has had a front-row seat to Sears’ senior season and believes his player deserves the recognition.
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“No disrespect to who’s on those lists. I’m sure there’s some really good players on both lists,” Oats said. “But if you look at what Mark is doing, if look at where the SEC ranks compared to other conferences in the country, he’s leading the SEC in scoring.
“He’s the most efficient player, and it’s hard to do that. I would say he’s probably the most efficient guard. I haven’t looked at those numbers here recently, but he was top five and KenPom’s National Player of the Year rankings, I think, going into this last week.”
Sears and Alabama will play at Georgia on Wednesday, Jan. 31, at 5:30 p.m. (SEC Network).
2024 Bob Cousy Award Candidates
Isaiah Stevens, Colorado State
Boo Buie, Northwestern
Jamal Shead, Houston
Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee
Dajuan Harris Jr., Kansas
Max Abmas, Texas
Tyler Kolek, Marquette
Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M
Jahvon Quinerly, Memphis
Tristen Newton, UConn
2024 Jerry West Award Candidates
Trey Alexander, Creighton
LJ Cryer, Houston
Johnell Davis, FAU
RJ Davis, UNC
Boogie Ellis, USC
Caleb Love, Arizona
Kevin McCullar Jr., Kansas
Antonio Reeves, Kentucky
Tyson Walker, Michigan State
Ja’Kobe Walter, Baylor
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