John R. Wooden Award Odds Power Rankings

Purdue center Zach Edey has all but won the John R. Wooden Award this season and currently sits as a massive favorite at -20000 on the FanDuel Sportsbook. But a handful of longshots on the board have been relishing in successful seasons themselves.

Below are the nine remaining players to win the John R. Wooden in college basketball from the FanDuel Sportsbook.

1. Zach Edey (-20000) 

Edey is the most dominant player college basketball has seen since Zion Williamson. He is Purdue’s centerpiece on both ends of the floor, with everything they do revolving around him. The gravity of his presence leaves open shooters and provides a rim presence on defense as he boasts the third-highest block percentage in the Big Ten. Averaging 22.1 points, 12.7 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, and shooting 62 percent from the field makes him as close to a lock to take home the award in the country.

2. Trayce Jackson-Davis (+3000)

TJD joins Edey as one of the rare archetypes of forwards you don’t see in basketball anymore. He has taken three total three-pointers in his four years at Indiana. It’s because he is a post-up nightmare and a rebounding monster. His bounce and athleticism always make him a threat at the rim, and he’s shown a similar capability to take over games as Edey. Indiana would not be Indiana without Jackson-Davis as their senior star forward.

3. Jalen Wilson (+4000)

Jalen Wilson could have declared for the NBA Draft following a National Championship season last year and probably been just fine. But instead, he has returned for his senior season and has taken the leap of a lifetime. After averaging just 11.1 points per game as a junior, he is posting 19.9 points per contest and snatching 8.5 rebounds. His growth has been immense in his three-point shooting, defense, and leadership as the team’s go-to scorer.

4. Brandon Miller (+10000)

Despite the recent news surrounding Brandon Miller and the Alabama program, the freshman just put up one of the year’s performances in college basketball. A 41-point outburst and a game-winner in an overtime victory over South Carolina has helped Miller solidify his spot as a top-three pick in this year’s NBA Draft. He’ll surely be a one-and-done, the first on this list, but he and Alabama have plenty to accomplish before June’s draft.

5. Marcus Sasser (+20000)

Sasser is the architect of one of college basketball’s most balanced and efficient offenses. The senior guard rarely makes a poor decision and can score at all three levels for the Houston Cougars. He’s a steady head that won’t typically explode for a 35-point game, but he’ll surely get you double-digits on a nightly basis. The Cougs are the favorite to cut down the nets in April, and Sasser must be at the top of his game for them to do so.

5. Kris Murray (+20000)

The twin brother to NBA rookie and Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray, Kris has followed in his brother’s footsteps at Iowa. The junior has exploded onto the scene for the Hawkeyes, going from 9.7 points per game a season ago to 20.0 in 2022-23. He’s not achieving this on volume either, knocking down 49.5 percent of his attempts from the floor. Iowa is not the team it was heading into last year’s NCAA Tournament, but their uber-efficient offense is enough to keep them in any game.

5. Drew Timme (+20000)

Two-time All-American Drew Timme continues to lead the front line for the Zags in 2022-23, pouring in 21.3 points per night on 61.5 percent shooting. He’s staring down back-to-back third-consecutive West Coast Conference Player of the Year awards. Still, he hopes to achieve the one thing that has alluded him throughout his college career: a national championship. The Bulldogs aren’t quite the dominant force they have been in years past, but they have shown throughout the season that they can beat anyone in the nation with a road win over Alabama on their resume.

5. Azoulas Tubelis (+20000)

Time and time again, Arizona big man Azoulas Tubelis is there to get the Wildcats a bucket. His offensive efficiency numbers are impressive with how high his usage rates are, getting to nearly 20 points per game in less than 30 minutes. For Arizona to make a deep run in March, he must be a massive piece to their success on both ends of the floor.

9. Markquis Nowell (+25000)

Nowell feels like one of the most underappreciated stars in college hoops. Despite not being the best shooter at just 37.8 percent from the field, he makes up for it with his 7.6 assists per game and 89.1 percent shooting from the charity stripe. Kansas State is nowhere near as good when he isn’t on the floor, which rarely happens. The fifth-year guard plays 36.3 minutes per game, the 32nd-most of any player in the nation.

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