Wooden Award Comes Into Focus During March Madness
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UNITED STATES - MARCH 21: College Basketball: NCAA Final Four, UCLA coach John Wooden victorious with team, trophy, and net after winning championship game vs Duke, Kansas City, MO 3/21/1964 (Photo by Rich Clarkson/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (SetNumber: X9899 TK2)
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Sports Illustrated via Getty ImagesGet your brackets filled out, the tournament starts tomorrow (the play in games anyway). It’s also awards season. The big one for college hoops is The John R. Wooden award. The nomination ballot includes no less than 15 players.
Coach Wooden collected championships like I collect empty soda cups. His UCLA teams were utterly dominant, including a stretch of 10 titles in 12 years. That, my friends, is a dynasty. He coached some of the greatest of all time. Lew Alcindor (Kareem) and Bill Walton immediately come to mind.
The award is given to both the men’s and women’s side which is a cool things and explains the massive influence Wooden had on the game of college basketball. Past winners include Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Candace Parker and Maya Moore just to name a few. Still wonder why a player’s award is named after a coach, but we also have the Heisman Trophy so there you go.
I’ll pare down the 15 to a likely list of the five finalists and their odds of winning the award on the men’s side. Odds courtesy of FanDuel.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 24: AJ Dybantsa #3 of the Brigham Young Cougars rushes the ball up the court against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half of their exhibition game at the Delta Center on October 24, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
Getty ImagesAJ Dybantsa, BYU
The freshman forward has had a terrific year averaging over 25 points a game and giving BYU some serious pub this year. He’s gotten them into the tournament and is a player that can take over. He’ll have to as the tournament progresses because the Cougars will be at a talent disadvantage. At +1900 he’s one of the favorites. There are worse things than watching BYU this week. Check them and Dybanstra out.
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 11: JT Toppin #15 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders steals the ball from Andrej Stojakovic #2 of the Illinois Fighting Illini during the second half at State Farm Center on November 11, 2025 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Getty ImagesJT Toppin, Texas Tech
Also at +1900, the junior forward has had a great year. Average 21 points and 11 rebounds per game, this guy is a midrange and down low force. He was playing as well as anyone before his ACL injury in mid-February, but he made such an impact this season he’s got a shot at this award. Texas Tech is fighting an uphill battle without him. A full season from him would have increased his and the Red Raiders’ chances for recognition and success this March.
Braden Smith, Purdue
Smith is a longshot here at +6000 but he’s the glue that holds Purdue together. If you watched the Big 10 title game yesterday you didn’t see a huge stat line out of him. His usual 14 point, 11 assist effort. Right on his season averages. He was a big part of the upset over Michigan and he’s been doing that constantly this year. He’ll never be considered the best player in America but he might be the most valuable.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 27: Darius Acuff Jr. #5 of the Arkansas Razorbacks celebrates a three pointer against the Duke Blue Devils during the first half of the CBS Thanksgiving Classic at the United Center on November 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Getty ImagesDarius Acuff, Jr., Arkansas
Another longshot at +8000 who’s only going to get better. The freshman guard dominated the SEC Championship game scoring 30 points, dishing out 11 assists and keeping Vanderbilt from getting back into the game. The kid is a scoring machine with a motor that never stops. John Calipari hit the jackpot with this one. I hope he stays in school another year. Coach Cal will have him doing incredible things.
Cameron Boozer, Duke
Boozer is the overwhelming favorite, last listed at -7000. He leads the Blue Devils in points, rebounds and assists while leading Duke to the overall one seed in the NCAA tournament. He’s been consistent since day one, is the best player on (one of) the best team and has turned up the intensity lately. Unless there’s some serious Duke bias among the voters, he’s the man to beat. In a different era when players stayed in school for more than a cup of coffee, Boozer would have had the opportunity to become a legend, surpassing his father the great Carlos Boozer.
The winner isn’t announced until April at the Wooden Awards ceremony so sit back and enjoy the NCAA Tournament. I’ll be interested to see how far these guys take their respective teams. A couple are legit contenders.