College basketball practice officially gets started on Friday, so it’s time to start diving into preseason rankings and awards to get you ready for the upcoming season.
My preseason awards kick off with Most Improved Player, which features a plethora of quality choices to choose from.
I could probably list 20+ honorable mention candidates given the SEC’s depth at many different positions.
But for now, I’m gonna narrow it down to several honorable mention players and then announce my winner.
Let the fun begin.
Honorable Mention
Derek Ogbeide (Georgia)
I’m fully on the Ogbeide train this season.
He had a solid jump in production from his freshman to sophomore seasons, but this could be a memorable year for the 6-8 forward.
With J.J. Frazier gone, opposing defenses will turn a lot of their attention to SEC preseason Player of the Year candidate Yante Maten. That will give Ogbeide chances to improve his offensive game and develop an even better touch around the basket – he shot 56.7 percent from the floor last season.
To add to that, Ogbeide should once again be among the league’s best rebounders after finishing fifth last season with 7.6 rebounds per contest.
Breein Tyree (Ole Miss)
When I talked to Andy Kennedy on our podcast this summer, he repeated what he said on the SEC coaches summer teleconference back in June.
“Of all the guys we’ve really been impressed with over the summer in terms of the approach and work they’ve put in, the guy that is at the forefront of that is Breein Tyree. He had some huge games for us down the stretch, going for 24 points at The Hump in leading us to a road win over Mississippi State. He had a huge game against a Top 10 Baylor team and was really good for us in our postseason wins.
He’s back to being close to 100 percent physically, and he’s taken on more of a leadership role. He understands what it takes from a consistency standpoint to be the player we need him to be.”
The Rebels’ backcourt could prove to be one of the best in the SEC thanks to Tyree’s development, the continued rise of Terence Davis, and the addition of Markel Crawford.
There’s simply no doubt that Tyree could be set for an impact season in Oxford.
Dazon Ingram (Alabama)
Ingram is another guy that played his best basketball of the season down the stretch.
His versatility was on full display throughout the year, but his performances against Mississippi State and Kentucky at the SEC Tournament left quite an impression.
Now, with a playmaker like Collin Sexton distributing the ball, Ingram will have even more opportunities to thrive in Alabama’s new and improved up-tempo offense.
Avery Johnson talked more with me about Ingram’s development on a recent podcast.
Kevarrius Hayes (Florida)
With John Egbunu likely not returning until January, Hayes will be expected to be a major frontcourt force for the Gators.
And judging by how he played following Egbunu’s ACL injury late last season, there’s reason to believe that Hayes will rise to the challenge.
He averaged 28 minutes per game during Florida’s run to the Elite Eight and shot 60.6 percent from the floor on the season.
An excellent shot-blocker (1.7 per game) with a rising offensive skillset, Hayes will undoubtedly be among the league’s most improved players.
Terrence Phillips (Missouri)
Phillips’ ceiling was somewhat limited in his first two seasons in Columbia due to Missouri’s overall struggles as a program.
However, with an incredible amount of talent joining the roster this offseason, that should allow the experienced point guard to thrive.
Phillips did a little of everything last season, leading the team in assists (4.4 per game), steals (1.4 per game), and 3-point field goal percentage (35.6 percent).
Considering how many impact players he now has around him, Phillips will have no shortage of options to turn to on the offensive end of the floor.
Wenyen Gabriel (Kentucky)
There is little doubt that Gabriel’s role will significant increase in his sophomore season.
After playing 17.8 minutes per game as a freshman, the 6-9 forward will take a big step forward in being the most experienced on-court player on the roster.
He’s added a tremendous amount of strength this summer, and with another year of skill development under his belt, it shouldn’t surprise anyone if he becomes one of the most reliable players on this young Wildcats’ roster.
Clevon Brown (Vanderbilt)
It’s not easy to replace a player like Luke Kornet.
But one guy that will try to make his mark on filling that void will be the 6-8 sophomore from San Antonio.
Brown only averaged 7.6 minutes per game last season, but this year, it may be hard for Bryce Drew and company to keep him off the floor due to his outstanding athleticism and versatility.
Drew has talked repeatedly this summer about Brown’s added size and strength, and that will definitely give him breakout potential heading into his second season in Nashville.
And the winner is…..
Austin Wiley (Auburn)
This selection shouldn’t shock anyone that has followed my work this offseason.
Back in May, I wrote about Wiley’s maturation and the potential for him to have a monster season on the Plains.
Not long after that, he provided further evidence to that claim by showing off his increased strength and aggressiveness with the USA U19 World Cup team.
By joining Auburn late last season, Wiley didn’t have the luxury of having a full offseason of college strength training and conditioning. Yet, he still made his presence felt in averaging 8.8 points (on 58.4 percent shooting) and 4.7 rebounds per game.
Now that he’s had that full offseason under his belt, the results speak for themselves.
Austin Wiley: a problem, part two. pic.twitter.com/Apd6ADvXV1
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) June 19, 2017
Wiley’s strength and aggressiveness are indeed going to be a problem this season, and Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl understands how important Wiley’s role will be in trying to help the Tigers reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003.
“We didn’t take full advantage of him last season because he was just trying to fit in,” Pearl told me in a June podcast. “Now, we’re able to build some things around him. He’s gonna get a lot more touches, and we’re gonna be looking at him more because he presents so many advantages in the post.”
“Nobody loves Auburn more, nobody trains harder, and nobody has been more coachable. So now, Austin’s leadership abilities are taking hold this offseason, and that ownership is really gonna help our chemistry.”
What Wiley did last season was just the first step in a larger process. His 25-point outburst in a comeback win at TCU was impressive, as was his dominant inside play in a January win over rival Alabama.
But make no mistake about it: There is much more to come.
This season, the speed of the game should slow down for the 6-11 sophomore, and that will allow him to control the paint in a way that few other SEC players can.
In having a more dedicated role in Auburn’s offense, Wiley should emerge as one of the most difficult players to prepare for in the entire conference.
That’s why he’s my preseason pick for the SEC’s Most Improved Player.
For more SEC basketball discussion, follow me on Twitter @theblakelovell.