BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Prior to the 2021-22 season, the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) has announced their preseason honors with Alabama A&M men's basketball earning two First-Team selections including junior forward Jalen Johnson (Indianapolis, Ind.) and junior guard Garrett Hicks (Madison, Ala.) as announced by the league on Wednesday, October 20.
 
JALEN JOHNSON – FIRST-TEAM
This past season, Johnson led the way with averages of 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 0.8 assists while shooting .562 from the field.
 
He also led the SWAC in field goal percentage and placed 31st  in the nation and was also second in offensive rebounds per game (3.27) in the league. He placed 28th nationally in the latter and third in the SWAC in both points and rebounds per game.

Johnson earned the first All-American honor of his career, picking up Second-Team honors from BOXTOROW and making him one of the 17 best players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) this past season. In terms of weekly SWAC honors, Johnson collected three on December 2, December 22 and February 26.

The 6-7 forward scored in double-figures 12 times, including four of 20 or more points and hauled in double-digit rebounds, each of those outings resulting in a double-double he posted career-high 28 points on 13-of-17 shooting at Samford and added 24 points and 11 rebounds next time out against South Alabama.

He also had a 25-point, nine rebound effort against Alcorn State (2/22) and 22 points and seven caroms vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Additionally, Johnson posted his two best rebounding efforts of the season in his final two games, grabbing 13 against both eventual NCAA Tournament team Texas Southern (3/1) and Grambling (3/6) and he added 16 and 15 points, respectively, in those games.
 
GARRETT HICKS – FIRST TEAM
Hicks averaged 13.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals and started all 15 games. In those he produced 10 double-digit scoring outings led by a career-high 27 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field against Southern (1/23). That one also included a 7-of-11 performance from beyond the arc, equaling his personal best for made threes in a game.

He had previously drained seven earlier in the season against South Alabama, a game in which he dropped 23 points, and had 16 points and six caroms in the near upset of Prairie View A&M. Hicks was also  named SWAC Player of the week on January 26.
 
2021-22 All-Southwestern Athletic Conference Preseason Teams
 
First-Team
Jawaun Daniels, Prairie View A&M
Jayveous McKinnis, Jackson State
Cameron Christon, Grambling State
Garrett Hicks, Alabama A&M
Jalen Johnson, Alabama A&M
 
Second-Team
John Walker III, Texas Southern
Justin Hopkins, Texas Southern
MJ Randolph, Florida A&M
Kenny Strawbridge, Alabama State
Jayden Saddler, Southern
 
Preseason Player of the Year
Jawaun Daniels, Prairie View A&M
 
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Jayveous McKinnis- Jackson State