Media picks Kentucky as SEC men's basketball favorite

Birmingham, Ala. - Kentucky was predicted to win the 2023 Southeastern Conference men's basketball championship in voting by a select panel of both SEC and national media members.

Reigning national player of the year Oscar Tshiebwe was the choice of the media for SEC Men's Basketball Player of the Year. Joining Tshiebwe on the All-SEC First Team are Nick Smith Jr. (Arkansas), Colin Castleton (Florida), Sahvir Wheeler (Kentucky), and Santiago Vescovi (Tennessee). All-SEC Second Team selections include Brandon Miller (Alabama), Jahvon Quinerly (Alabama), KJ Williams (LSU), Josiah-Jordan James (Tennessee), and Zakai Zeigler (Tennessee).

Points were compiled on a 14-13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Each media member also voted for a five-player All-SEC Team. Ties were not broken.

The 2022-23 campaign begins November 7, with conference play set to begin December 28. The 2023 SEC Tournament will be March 8-12 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

2022-23 SEC Preseason Media Poll

Order of Finish	School
1	Kentucky
2	Arkansas
3	Tennessee
4	Auburn
5	Alabama
6	Texas A&M
7	Florida
8	LSU
9	Ole Miss
10	Mississippi State
11	Missouri
12	Vanderbilt
13	Georgia
14	South Carolina

SEC Player of the Year

 Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky

F Sr. 6-9 260 Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Preseason All-SEC First-Team

 Nick Smith Jr., Arkansas 

G Fr. 6-5 185 Jacksonville, Ark.

 Colin Castleton , Florida

 F 5th 6-11 250 Deland, Fla.

 Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky

F Sr. 6-9 260 Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo

 Sahvir Wheeler, Kentucky

G Sr. 5-9 180 Houston, Texas

 Santiago Vescovi, Tennessee

G Sr. 6-3 192 Montevideo, Uruguay

Preseason All-SEC Second-Team

 Brandon Miller, Alabama

F Fr. 6-9 200 Antioch, Tenn.

 Jahvon Quinerly, Alabama

G Sr. 6-1 175 Hackensack, N.J.

 KJ Williams LSU

F 5th 6-10 250 Cleveland, Miss.

 Josiah-Jordan James, Tennessee

G Sr. 6-6 224 Charleston, S.C.

 Zakai Zeigler Tennessee

G So. 5-9 171 Long Island, N.Y.