Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
SEC REPORT: Martin supports Williams for honor.
FAYETTEVILLE — Tennessee junior Grant Williams stands a strong chance of repeating as SEC Player of the Year when voting is announced next week.
If Williams pulls it off, he’ll be the first player to claim back-to-back player of the year honors in the SEC since Arkansas forward Corliss Williamson did it after the 1994-95 season 24 years ago.
In the decade before Williamson’s player of the year double, Kentucky’s Kenny Walker (1985-86), LSU’s Chris Jackson (198990) and LSU’s Shaquille O’Neal (1991-92) all won it in back-to-back seasons.
Williams has an ardent supporter in South Carolina Coach Frank Martin.
“I think they won the league last year, and I think they’re in first place this year … and I think he’s having a better statistical year this year than last year,” Martin said. “Here’s the other part: Once you wear the crown, it’s hard to take it away from you if you’re performing better. His team continues to win and he continues to lead them. Every close game they’ve had with the game on the line the ball’s in his hands, and he’s made a play to win the game.”
Martin said Kentucky forward PJ Washington and LSU point guard Tremont Waters also should be candidates.
Williams leads the SEC in scoring with 19.3 points per game and is sixth with 7.6 rebounds per game. He’s also second with 56.7 percent shooting and fourth in free-throw percentage (82.6 percent).
“I think Grant’s had a great year,” said Tennessee Coach Rick Barnes, who added he hasn’t examined the player of the year race closely. “I think you all know how important he is for us. You look around the league and a case could be made for a lot of guys.”
Washington is 10th in scoring (14.9), fifth in rebounding (7.7) and third in field goal percentage (52.4 percent).
Waters is eighth in scoring (15.3), first in steals (3.0), third in assists (5.8) and eighth in free-throw percentage (79.1 percent).
Arkansas sophomore Daniel Gafford should get All-SEC consideration as he ranks fourth in scoring (16.5), first in rebounding (8.7) and offensive rebounding (2.9), first in field goal percentage (65.9 percent) and fourth in blocked shots (2.0).
Other back-to-back SEC players of the year are Tennessee’s Dale Ellis (1982-83); Alabama’s Reggie King (1978-79); Tennessee’s Bernard King (1975-76); LSU’s Pete Maravich (196869-70), the only three-peat league player of the year; and Vanderbilt’s Clyde Lee (1965-66). Lee shared the award in 1966 with Kentucky’s Pat Riley.