USA Today Sports Network preseason basketball All-SEC, awards for 2022-23 – Knoxville News Sentinel

Kentucky basketball’s Oscar Tshiebwe will dominate the SEC for a second straight season.

That’s the projection from 13 writers who cover the league for the USA TODAY Sports Network, who voted on various preseason awards and All-SEC teams.

Kentucky and Tennessee basketball tied for the most All-SEC selections with two each. Kentucky was the lone program with two first-team picks.

Tshiebwe, the only unanimous first-team selection, leads the network’s preseason All-SEC team and was picked as preseason player of the year and preseason defensive player of the year. Tshiebwe, who averaged 17.4 points and 15.1 rebounds last season, had a minor knee procedure in early October. 

Arkansas guard Nick Smith Jr., a five-star prospect and the No. 3 recruit in the 247Sports Composite, was the lone freshman to garner preseason All-SEC honors. He also was named newcomer of the year ahead of the likes of high-powered freshmen in Alabama’s Brandon Miller and Tennessee’s Julian Phillips and transfers such as LSU’s KJ Williams and Missouri’s Isiaih Mosley.

PRESEASON: No. 11 Tennessee basketball wallops No. 2 Gonzaga 99-80 in exhibition

PROJECTIONS: SEC basketball order of finish for 2022-23 season projected by USA TODAY Sports Network

Here are the preseason All-SEC teams and individual awards as chosen by the USA TODAY Sports Network’s SEC coverage team:

First team

G Santiago Vescovi, Tennessee

G Sahvir Wheeler, Kentucky

G Jahvon Quinerly, Alabama

F Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky*

F Colin Castleton, Florida

*unanimous selection

Second team

G Nick Smith Jr, Arkansas

G Isiaih Mosley, Missouri

G Josiah-Jordan James, Tennessee

F Johni Broome, Auburn

F KJ Williams, LSU+

F Henry Coleman III, Texas A&M+

+tie

Preseason Coach of the Year

Buzz Williams, Texas A&M

Preseason Player of the Year

Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky*

Preseason Newcomer of the Year

Nick Smith Jr, Arkansas

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.