The Wooden Award is an annual honor given to the most outstanding men’s college basketball player.
With Zach Edey, who won the award the past two seasons, now in the NBA, new frontrunners have emerged.
Betting odds offer a glimpse into potential contenders.
Here are the current odds for some candidates (courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook):
2024-25 John Wooden Award Odds:
Hunter Dickinson, Kansas: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
RJ Davis, North Carolina: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Mark Sears, Alabama: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
AJ Storr, Kansas: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)
LJ Cryer, Houston: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Johnell Davis, Arkansas: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Khalif Battle, Gonzaga: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
VJ Edgecombe, Baylor: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Liam McNeeley, UConn: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Zeke Mayo, Kansas: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Tyrese Proctor, Duke: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Ryan Nembhard, Gonzaga: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
*Odds as of 7/15/2024
Hunter Dickinson from Kansas and RJ Davis from North Carolina are the early co-favorites to win the Wooden Award at +800.
Dickinson is returning to Kansas for his fifth collegiate season. The 7-foot-2 center transferred from Michigan last spring and joined Bill Self’s program in Lawrence. Last season with the Jayhawks, he averaged 17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds per game on 54.8% shooting. He also earned Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and was named to the All-Big 12 First Team.
Similarly, RJ Davis is entering his fifth season of college basketball. Davis has played his entire career with the Tar Heels, where he averaged 21.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists last year while shooting 39.8% from three-point range. The 6-foot guard won the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s Jerry West Award for the nation’s most outstanding shooting guard, was named ACC Player of the Year, a consensus First Team All-American, and was a finalist for National Player of the Year.
FOX Sports college basketball broadcaster and reporter John Fanta highlighted Dickinson’s value in college basketball, stating that his name, image, and likeness are significantly more valuable in college than in the NBA G League. Dickinson has several endorsement deals and stands to gain more as one of college basketball’s biggest stars following Zach Edey’s departure.
Fanta also praised Davis for being the crucial boost the Tar Heels need next season, ranking North Carolina as the No. 6 team in his early top 25 list. He noted that “RJ Davis could be the preseason National Player of the Year.”
Who will you bet on to win the Wooden Award?
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