Georgia guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope picked up another Southeastern Conference Player of the Year honor on Monday when he was the choice by the Associated Press.
The media who voted for the AP award selected the sophomore as the top player, just like the league coaches did last week.
Caldwell-Pope, second in the SEC in scoring at 18.5 points per game, was the only unanimous choice for the All-SEC first team.
“He embodies what athletes should be,” Georgia coach Mark Fox said last week after Caldwell-Pope scored a career-high 32 points in a 68-63 loss to LSU in the SEC Tournament. “He just competes with a heart of a lion. This guy just really plays his heart out. He’s the hardest worker we have in practice.”
Only once in the last 10 seasons did the AP and coaches not agree on the same choice for player of the year.
That was in 2007 when the AP went with Tennessee’s Chris Lofton and coaches with Vanderbilt’s Derrick Byars.
Joining the 6-foot-5 Caldwell-Pope on the first team were Florida forward/center Erik Murphy, Kentucky center Nerlens Noel, Alabama guard Trevor Releford and Tennessee guard Jordan McRae.
Caldwell-Pope ranks eighth in the SEC in rebounding average (7.1), seventh in field goal percentage (43.3), sixth in free throw percentage (79.9), third in steals per game (2.0) and second in 3-pointers per game (2.6).
The only other Georgia player named SEC Player of the Year was Dominique Wilkins in 1981.
Associated Press All-SEC first team
u-Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Georgia, G, 6-5, So.
Erik Murphy, Florida, F/C, 6-10, Sr.
Trevor Releford, Alabama, G, 6-0, Jr.
Jordan McRae, Tennessee, G, 6-5, Jr.
Nerlens Noel, Kentucky, F, 6-10, Fr.
Second Team
Marshall Henderson, Mississippi, G, 6-2, Jr.
Elston Turner, Texas A&M, G, 6-5, Sr.
Jarnell Stokes, Tennessee, F, 6-8, So.
Johnny O’Bryant III, LSU, F, 6-9, So.
Murphy Holloway, Mississippi, F, 6-7, Sr.
Phil Pressey, Missouri, G, 5-11, Jr.
Honorable Mention
Laurence Bowers, Missouri, F, 6-8, Sr.; Kenny Boynton, Florida, G, 6-2, Sr.; Alex Oriakhi, Missouri, F, 6-9, Sr.; Marshawn Powell, Arkansas, F, 6-7, Jr.; Mike Rosario, Florida, G, 6-3, Sr.; Scottie Wilbekin, Florida, G, 6-2, Jr.; BJ Young, Arkansas, G, 6-3, So.; Patric Young, Florida, C, 6-9, Jr.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR — Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Georgia
COACH OF THE YEAR — Billy Donovan, Florida
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR — Marshall Henderson, Mississippi
