USA TODAY Sports Network Preseason All-SEC basketball team for 2025-26

• Kentucky guard Otega Oweh was named the SEC Preseason Player of the Year by a USA TODAY Sports Network poll.
• Mark Pope of Kentucky was selected as the Preseason Coach of the Year.
• Tennessee’s Nate Ament earned Preseason Newcomer of the Year, while Missouri’s Anthony Robinson II is the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
• The Preseason All-SEC first team includes Oweh, Tahaad Pettiford, Josh Hubbard, Nate Ament, and Alex Condon.

Kentucky basketball’s Otega Oweh stands out among a loaded list of individual talent in the SEC.

A poll of 13 experts who cover the conference for the USA TODAY Sports Network selected Oweh as the league’s Preseason Player of the Year. The guard averaged 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game last year in his first season with the Wildcats. He returns this winter for his senior campaign with ambitions of taking Kentucky back to the Final Four.

Oweh was not a unanimous selection, with Florida’s Alex Condon and Mississippi State’s Josh Hubbard also receiving votes.

Kentucky’s Mark Pope reeled in the Preseason Coach of the Year honor. Pope guided the Wildcats to a 24-12 record and a trip to the Sweet 16 last season.

Tennessee freshman phenom Nate Ament is the Preseason Newcomer of the Year, while Missouri’s Anthony Robinson II is the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Here are the preseason All-SEC teams and individual awards as chosen by Sports Network:

First team

G *Otega Oweh, Kentucky

G Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn

G Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State

F Nate Ament, Tennessee

F *Alex Condon, Florida

Second team

G Labaron Philon, Alabama

G Boogie Fland, Florida

F Keyshawn Hall, Auburn

F Malik Dia, Ole Miss

F Thomas Haugh, Florida

Preseason Coach of the Year

Mark Pope, Kentucky

Others receiving votes: Todd Golden, Florida; Steven Pearl, Auburn; Chris Beard, Ole Miss.

Preseason Player of the Year

Otega Oweh, Kentucky

Others receiving votes: Alex Condon, Florida; Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn; Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State.

Preseason Newcomer of the Year

Nate Ament, Tennessee

Others receiving votes: Keyshawn Hall, Auburn; Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas; Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee; Xaivian Lee, Florida; Jaland Lowe, Kentucky; Mackenzie Mgbako, Texas A&M.

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

Anthony Robinson II, Missouri

Others receiving votes: Felix Okpara, Tennessee; Alex Condon, Florida; Keyshawn Hall, Auburn.

*Unanimous selection

Poll participants: Andrew Abadie, Gainesville Sun; Ryan Black, Courier-Journal; CL Brown, Courier-Journal; Adam Cole, Motgomery Advertiser; Gentry Estes, The Tennessean; Jackson Fuller, Southwest Times Record; Sam Hutchens, Clarion Ledger; Callum McAndrew, Columbia Daily Tribune; Sam Sklar, Clarion Ledger; Emilee Smarr, Tuscaloosa News; Colton Sulley, The Oklahoman; Marc Weiszer, Athens Banner-Herald; Mike Wilson, Knoxville News Sentinel.