University of Georgia Athletics
Photo by: Tony Walsh
Wheeler, Johnson Earn SEC Honors
March 09, 2021 | Men's Basketball
Bulldogs voted among league's best by coaches
ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia's Sahvir Wheeler was voted consensus second-team All-SEC, and K.D. Johnson earned a spot on the coaches' SEC's All-Freshman team in postseason awards announced on Tuesday.
Wheeler was named second-team All-SEC in balloting of both league coaches and the Associated Press.
Wheeler leads the SEC in both assists (7.2 app) and double-doubles (seven) and also ranks No. 3 in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.64), No. 3 in playing time (34.8 mpg), No. 7 in steals (1.6 spg) and No. 16 in scoring (14.0 ppg). He is No. 2 nationally in total assists (180). The sophomore from Houston's seven point-assist double-doubles equal the most by any SEC player in the 2000s. Wheeler has already broken Georgia's single-season assist record and his current assist average (7.2 apg) is the highest by an SEC player since 1993.
"It's a great accomplishment, a great award," Wheeler said. "I'm thankful for all the coaches and media that voted me in. I also want to give a special shoutout to my teammates and my coaches. Without them, I wouldn't be here. I think this also is a testament to how much work I put in during the offseason. To see it come to fruition and see some of my goals accomplished is an awesome feeling."
Johnson is the Bulldogs' second leading scorer, averaging 13.6 ppg. Though he has only played in 15 games, Johnson has produced a team-high four 20-point scoring performances. In February, he notched career-high scoring outputs in back-to-back road games against ranked opponents, putting up 22 points at No. 16/15 Tennessee and besting that three days later with 24 points at No. 11/11 Alabama. Among stats for league leaders in SEC games only, Wheeler ranks No. 2 in steals (1.9 spg) and No. 18 in scoring (13.6 ppg).
"It's an honor and I'm very happy that I made the team, but I'm focused on the team and the game that's ahead of us on Thursday," Johnson said. "I'm excited about the award, but I'm more excited about the run we're about to try to go on to get to 'March Madness.' We're just taking it one game at a time."
Georgia will open play in the 2021 SEC Tournament on Thursday night when the 10th-seeded Bulldogs face seventh-seeded Missouri at 7:00 p.m. ET. Georgia upset the Tigers, who were then ranked No. 20/19 nationally, earlier this season on Feb. 16 in Athens. Justin Kier's 16 points led five Bulldogs in double figures in the 80-70 victory.
Wheeler was named second-team All-SEC in balloting of both league coaches and the Associated Press.
Wheeler leads the SEC in both assists (7.2 app) and double-doubles (seven) and also ranks No. 3 in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.64), No. 3 in playing time (34.8 mpg), No. 7 in steals (1.6 spg) and No. 16 in scoring (14.0 ppg). He is No. 2 nationally in total assists (180). The sophomore from Houston's seven point-assist double-doubles equal the most by any SEC player in the 2000s. Wheeler has already broken Georgia's single-season assist record and his current assist average (7.2 apg) is the highest by an SEC player since 1993.
"It's a great accomplishment, a great award," Wheeler said. "I'm thankful for all the coaches and media that voted me in. I also want to give a special shoutout to my teammates and my coaches. Without them, I wouldn't be here. I think this also is a testament to how much work I put in during the offseason. To see it come to fruition and see some of my goals accomplished is an awesome feeling."
Johnson is the Bulldogs' second leading scorer, averaging 13.6 ppg. Though he has only played in 15 games, Johnson has produced a team-high four 20-point scoring performances. In February, he notched career-high scoring outputs in back-to-back road games against ranked opponents, putting up 22 points at No. 16/15 Tennessee and besting that three days later with 24 points at No. 11/11 Alabama. Among stats for league leaders in SEC games only, Wheeler ranks No. 2 in steals (1.9 spg) and No. 18 in scoring (13.6 ppg).
"It's an honor and I'm very happy that I made the team, but I'm focused on the team and the game that's ahead of us on Thursday," Johnson said. "I'm excited about the award, but I'm more excited about the run we're about to try to go on to get to 'March Madness.' We're just taking it one game at a time."
Georgia will open play in the 2021 SEC Tournament on Thursday night when the 10th-seeded Bulldogs face seventh-seeded Missouri at 7:00 p.m. ET. Georgia upset the Tigers, who were then ranked No. 20/19 nationally, earlier this season on Feb. 16 in Athens. Justin Kier's 16 points led five Bulldogs in double figures in the 80-70 victory.
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