Welcome to BamaCentral’s “Just a Minute,” a daily video series featuring BamaCentral’s Alabama beat writers. Multiple times a week, the writers will group up or film solo to provide their take on a topic concerning the Crimson Tide or the landscape of college sports.
Watch the above video as BamaCentral’s recruiting writer Mason Woods and beat writer Joe Gaither discuss whether or not Alabama point guard Mark Sears should have his jersey retired after the conclusion of this season.
The Alabama Crimson Tide is set to take on the Duke Blue Devils on Saturday, March 29th for a chance to make it to not only the second Final Four in a row, but the second in all of program history. Last season, the Tide made its unlikely run to the semifinal as a high powered offensive threat, lacking defensive authority.
Now, in 2025, the team is a much improved version of itself, playing at possibly its highest level yet.
In the current world of college athletics, few things are consistent, but one thing has been for Alabama during this recent run: point guard Mark Sears.
An under recruited prospect out of Muscle Shoals, he began his college career with Ohio University in the Mid Atlantic Conference. Physically unassuming, and not overly impressive throughout his high school days, Sears had to prove himself at the mid-major level before making the jump to the power four.
Prove himself he did. In his first season he was named to the MAC All-Freshman Team, and in 2022 he dominated the league. Sears averaged 19.6 points on nearly 45 percent shooting, and was named First Team All-Conference in the process.
As a result, the Crimson Tide came calling and Sears jumped at the opportunity. He was immediately a key piece of the roster, finishing second in scoring in just his first season before truly exploding onto the scene in the 2023-24 season.
That year, Sears averaged over 20 points per game and was named First Team All-SEC and Second Team All-American, but most importantly led the Crimson Tide on to its first ever Final Four berth.
Now, in 2025, Sears has once again been nothing short of incredible for Alabama and has the Tide on the verge of yet another Final Four appearance. He has been the most important piece of Alabama’s most impressive run in the history of the program, and should absolutely be respected as such.
The Crimson Tide currently has just a single jersey retired for Wendell Hudson who not only broke the color barrier for Alabama basketball, but is also one of the greatest players in program history.
It may be time to honor another one of the greatest players in program history.
