Edwards named All-SEC, to West Watch List

ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia freshman Anthony Edwards picked up two preseason recognitions on Tuesday. The Atlanta native was tabbed first-team All-SEC in balloting of media and was among 20 players included on the preseason watch list for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award.

A five-star recruit and one of the nation’s premier prospects, Edwards was rated as the nation’s No. 1 prospect by 247Sports.com, as well as No. 2 in the 247Sports.com composite, No. 3 by rivals.com and No. 4 by ESPN.com.

A consensus first-team prep All-American last season, Edwards started and scored 12 points (while connecting on 5-of-8 shots from the floor) in the 2019 McDonald’s All-America Game at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, and he poured in 21 points (hitting 9-of-15 FGs and 3-of-4 FTs) in just 18 minutes of action in the 2019 Jordan Brand Classic in Las Vegas.

Edwards is the first Georgia freshman to be tabbed first-team All-SEC in preseason balloting since the league began conducting a media day in 1989. He is the 12th Bulldog to earn first-team All-SEC preseason honors. A select panel of both SEC and national media members voted for a five-player All-SEC team in association with Wednesday’s SEC Basketball Media Day. Edwards was joined on the first team by Kerry Blackshear of Florida, Ashton Hagans of Kentucky, Breein Tyree of Ole Miss and Reggie Perry of Mississippi State.

The Jerry West Shooting Guard Watch List was announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, which administers the five national position player of the year honors. New to the award this season is Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies in each of the three rounds. By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players will be narrowed to just 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. West and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The winner of the 2020 Jerry West Award will be presented at The College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy’s in Los Angeles next April 10, along with the other four members of the Men’s Starting Five.

Edwards is one of seven SEC players on the Jerry West Award watch list along with Isaiah Joe of Arkansas, Tyrese Maxey of Kentucky, Skylar Mays of LSU, Breein Tyree of Ole Miss, A.J. Lawson of South Carolina and Jordan Bowden of Tennessee.