Alabama All-American Mark Sears reveals mindset in NBA draft workouts
Alabama All-American Mark Sears reveals mindset in NBA draft workouts
Mark Sears was a Naismith Player of the Year semifinalist, and the former Alabama guard is working to showcase himself at a high level ahead of the 2025 NBA draft.
Sears was a consensus first-team All-American, averaging 18.6 points, 5.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds on 34.5% shooting from 3-point range in 37 games. His 690 total points ranked fourth-most in a single season in program history.
The 6-foot standout is projected to be a second-round pick after establishing himself as one of the top guards in the country. He wants to show he can do more than just score and is using feedback from teams to improve over this process.
"They want to constantly see me do things that are not going to show up on the stat sheet so that is what I'm doing," Sears said Monday, via Sean Cunningham of KCRA-TV. "I'm trying to show that I can guard bigger players, I can defend at a high level -- doing stuff that doesn't require scoring the ball."
Sears left college ranked 19th in all-time career scoring with 2,841 points, having spent two years at Ohio and three at Alabama. He set the Crimson Tide records for points (232), wins (9) and games played (11) in the NCAA Tournament.
The 23-year-old helped Alabama advance to the Elite Eight in each of the past two seasons, the only team to accomplish that feat over that span. He was the West Region Most Outstanding Player and set a program record with 10 3-pointers in a win over BYU on March 27.
Sears is on the verge of joining a growing list of Alabama players drafted to the NBA. He believes his time in Tuscaloosa helped prepare him for that opportunity.
"I feel like they set me up great for this opportunity I'm going through," Sears said. "We played very similar to the NBA style. What Coach (Nate) Oats has going is very high level, and I feel that is going to be a great transformation for me in the league."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Nets' Cam Thomas wants to be back in Brooklyn amid NBA free-agency
The Brooklyn Nets have an important decision ahead of them as they have to decide if they will be re-signing guard Cam Thomas during this offseason. Thomas is a restricted free-agent this summer so Brooklyn has more leverage when it comes to re-signing Thomas, but it seems like he is maintaining that he wants to come back to the Nets. "I definitely want to be back in Brooklyn. It's definitely home for me being drafted there," Thomas said during an interview with WTKR, a local news station in Chesapeake, Virginia, where Thomas grew up. Thomas will be hosting a community day at River Crest Community Center on Saturday, but before that, he made sure to spoke about how he feels about the next step in his career. Advertisement "You definitely build a bond with a lot of people there so I love being there, but at the same time, you still got to do what's best for you," Thomas continued. After what Thomas has done in his career, especially after the past two seasons, he is definitely looking at a big payday, whether he comes to the Nets or signs with another team in free-agency if Brooklyn doesn't match his initial offer sheet. Thomas, 23, is coming off a 2024-25 season in which he averaged 24.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 43.8% from the field and 34.9% from three-point land. Thomas had the best season of his four-year career since being the 27th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, but he also did so in just 25 games as he dealt with persistent left hamstring strains. Since Thomas was ruled out in March for the rest of the season, he has reiterated that his intention is to continue playing with the Nets, with the implication being that his coming back has to make sense for him as well. With Brooklyn having by far the most cap space in the league this summer, money shouldn't be an issue so time will tell how much it will cost for Thomas to re-sign. This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets' Cam Thomas wants to be back in Brooklyn amid NBA free-agency
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Congratulations Are Pouring In For Steve Kerr's Family
Congratulations Are Pouring In For Steve Kerr's Family originally appeared on The Spun. Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors didn't wait long to make changes to their coaching staff. Obviously, the Warriors won't be moving on from Kerr. He's coming off yet another season where he led the franchise to the playoffs. Unfortunately for Golden State, its chances of winning an NBA title were destroyed the moment Steph Curry suffered an injury in the Western Conference semifinals. Advertisement So what changes will be made to Golden State's coaching staff? On Thursday afternoon, the Warriors announced that Kerr is adding a familiar face to bench for the 2025-26 season. Kerr's son, Nicholas, has been promoted to the Warriors after spending the past two seasons coaching their G League team in Santa Cruz. Immediately after this news was confirmed by the Warriors, fans congratulated the Kerr family on this awesome father-son accomplishment. "Congratulations to Steve Kerr's son," one fan commented. "Warriors have the best farm system in the NBA by far when it comes to their coaching staff and trainers," a second fan wrote. Advertisement "Congratulations to my guy, Nicholas Kerr," a third fan added. "Kerr's son might be next head coach in the future," another fan said. SACRAMENTO, CA - NOVEMBER 28: Head Coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings during the In-Season Tournament on November 28, 2023 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)Nicholas Kerr, 32, went 20-14 in the G League each of the past two seasons. Prior to becoming the head coach of Santa Cruz, he was part of the development department for the Warriors. He was also a video coordinator for three seasons. As for Steve Kerr, he's been the head coach of the Warriors since the 2014-15 season. We'll see if this father-son duo can lead the Warriors back to the NBA Finals. Related: Sports Fans React To Stephen A. Smith's Daughter's ESPN Debut Congratulations Are Pouring In For Steve Kerr's Family first appeared on The Spun on Jun 20, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rockets' Initial Trade Offer For Kevin Durant Revealed
Rockets' Initial Trade Offer For Kevin Durant Revealed originally appeared on Athlon Sports. As the NBA offseason heats up, the Phoenix Suns are actively exploring trade options for superstar Kevin Durant, and the Houston Rockets have emerged with an intriguing initial proposal. Advertisement According to an article published by Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints on Friday, the Rockets have offered guard Jalen Green and the 10th pick in this year's draft in exchange for the 15-time All-Star. However, negotiations have hit a snag, as the Suns are pushing for additional young talent, including Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, and Reed Sheppard—players Houston is reluctant to part with. Durant, 36, remains a dominant force despite turning entering the waning years of his career, averaging 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists last season. His potential move has sparked widespread speculation, with the Rockets among the frontrunners alongside the Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves. Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin DurantRick Scuteri-Imagn Images The Rockets' offer hinges on Green, a former No. 2 overall pick, and a valuable draft pick, but Phoenix's demand for more established young assets has created a standoff. Advertisement Sources indicate the Suns are seeking a package that includes two starting-caliber players and draft capital to rebuild after a disappointing 36-46 season. For Houston, retaining Smith, Eason, and Sheppard reflects confidence in their young core, which helped secure the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference last year. Meanwhile, the Suns' high asking price underscores their intent to maximize return on Durant's expiring $54.7 million contract. As the NBA Draft looms, this trade saga could reshape both franchises. Will the Rockets sweeten the deal, or will another suitor, like the Heat with rookie Kel'el Ware, steal Durant away? Related: Potential Heat-Suns Trade News Surfaces Amid Kevin Durant Rumors This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
