J.J. Frazier, Yante Maten earn preseason All-SEC honors

Georgia senior guard J.J. Frazier was one of five players selected to the media's All-SEC first team.

Frazier was picked to the group along with Arkansas senior forward Moses Kingsley, Kentucky freshman forward Edrice "Bam" Adebayo, Kentucky freshman guard De'Aaron Fox and Texas A&M sophomore Tyler Davis.

At the SEC's basketball media day Wednesday, Frazier said he was "obviously grateful" to be selected to the team but downplayed the significance due to it being a preseason honor. Frazier was Georgia's go-to scorer in the clutch a season ago, averaging 16.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

Georgia junior forward Yante Maten was also recognized with an All-SEC second team selection. Maten was picked to the second team with Florida sophomore guard KeVaughn Allen, Kentucky sophomore guard Isaiah Briscoe, Kentucky freshman guard Malik Monk, LSU sophomore guard Antonio Blakeney, Mississippi State sophomore guard Quinndary Weatherspoon and Vanderbilt sophomore Luke Kornet.

Maten said he was "blessed" to receive a second-team spot but that he's using it as motivation to move up to the first team by the season's end.

"It’s a place where I have work," Maten said. "Everyone’s goal is to be at the top. It’s just another reason to keep working hard, to aspire to be something greater."

As a team, Georgia was picked to finish fourth in the conference behind, in order, Kentucky, Florida and Texas A&M. Kingsley was selected as the preseason conference player of the year.

Preseason media poll

1. Kentucky

2. Florida

3. Texas A&M

4. Georgia

5. Arkansas

6. Vanderbilt

7. Alabama

8. South Carolina

9. Mississippi

10. Mississippi State

11. Auburn

12. LSU

13. Tennessee

14. Missouri

This story was originally published October 19, 2016 at 2:51 PM with the headline "J.J. Frazier, Yante Maten earn preseason All-SEC honors."