Several Wildcats earn preseason SEC and Naismith honors

A week after earning preseason All-SEC honors from the media, Kentucky Wildcats guard Brandon Boston Jr. and center Olivier Sarr were tabbed to the coaches’ all-conference squads.

Boston, who earned first-team honors by the media, is also a member of the eight-man first-team squad picked by the league’s 14 head coaches. Sarr is a second-team pick and was also on the media’s second team as well.

In addition, Boston and fellow freshman guard Terrence Clarke were both named to the Naismith Trophy Men’s Player of the Year watch list. They’re among 50 candidates for the 2021 award, given annually to the best player in college hoops. Anthony Davis is the lone Wildcat to ever win the Naismith Trophy.

Boston, a Georgia native who played in California at Sierra Canyon for his final season of high school hoops, is a consensus five-star prospect and Kentucky’s top-ranked player in the 2020 class (highest ranking was No. 5 overall at Rivals). The 6-7 guard averaged 19.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game last season while leading his team to a 30-4 mark and a No. 2 national ranking.

For his efforts, Boston was named the California Male Athlete of the Year and the California Basketball Player of the Year by USA Today. He was also tabbed a First Team Naismith All-American, Second Team Sports Illustrated All-American, SLAM Magazine All-American, California Mr. Basketball and the Gold Coast League MVP.

Clarke, a consensus five-star prospect out of Massachusetts, was ranked as high as No. 8 in the final Rivals rankings and one of the top shooting guards in the country. The 6-7 guard was a member of the Brewster Academy team that won the 2019 National Prep Championship. Clarke led his team back to the 2020 finals with a 34-3 record before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the rest of the event. He averaged 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game as aa senior.

For his efforts, Clarke was named to the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council AAA Player of the Year and was a NEPSAC AAA First Team selection.

Sarr, who transferred in from Wake Forest this offseason, enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2019-20 while averaging 13.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. He shot 52.7% from the floor, made the All-ACC Third Team, and was the runner-up for the 2020 ACC Most Improved Player award.

The 7-foot center led the team with 11 double-doubles and 33 blocks, scored in double figures in 23 games, and was a two-time ACC Player of the Week.

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