TUSCALOOSA, Alabama: Mark Sears, an Alabama guard, has announced for the NBA Draft for the second consecutive year, but he has left open the possibility of going back to school, according to his social media accounts.
After going through the NBA Draft process the previous season, Sears made the wise choice to withdraw and finish his senior year at Alabama. With a significant increase in output, Sears rose to become one of the top players in college basketball not just in the SEC but globally.
Sears scored the most points per game—more than any other Alabama player in several decades—averaging 21.5. With remarkable efficiency, he scored points by shooting more than half of his shots from the floor and more than forty-three percent from beyond the arc. He was named unanimous All-American and first team All-SEC this past season for his efforts.
Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, Sears is still eligible for an additional year of college because his freshman year fell during the 2020–21 season.
Sears’ success in the NCAA Tournament greatly enhanced his stock, so it’s unknown if he will remain in the draft or go back to school. Leading Alabama to its first-ever Final Four in school history, he averaged 24.2 points per game during the tournament and took home the Most Outstanding Player of the West Regional award.
Alabama still has two available roster spots for the upcoming season because Sears hasn’t formally withdrawn from the draft yet. Five members of the Crimson Tide’s squad from the previous campaign—Kris Parker, Rylan Griffen, Davin Cosby, Sam Walters, and Nick Pringle—have left the team due to transfers. Two players from the gateway have already been added by Nate Oats and his team.