Alabama guard Mark Sears has been sensational this season, and the nation is starting to take notice.

Sears was recognized Thursday as one of the nation's best players. Naismith Trophy Midseason Team.

The Naismith Trophy is awarded annually to the sport's most outstanding athlete, but no Alabama player has ever won the award.

Sears leads the SEC with 20.5 points per game. He has scored 20 or more points in 15 games this season, including the last seven.

They also rank sixth in the conference in field goal percentage and eighth in assists at 51.3 percent and 3.9, respectively.

Sears is one of five SEC players on the list, along with Tennessee's Dalton Knecht, Kentucky's Antonio Reeves, Auburn's Joni Bloom and Texas A&M's Wade Taylor IV.

He helped lead the Crimson Tide to a 9-2 conference record and is now all but guaranteed another NCAA Tournament appearance.

Sears transferred from Ohio University to the University of Alabama ahead of the 2022-23 season and made a big leap offensively after a solid season last year in which he averaged more than 12 points per game.

Alabama will next play Texas A&M at home on Saturday wearing new retro uniforms. Tipoff will be broadcast on ESPN at 11 a.m.

Michael Brauner is a senior sports analyst and contributing writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP