The anticipation surrounding the coveted Wooden Player of the Year award in men’s college basketball is intensifying.
Purdue center and reigning National Player of the Year Zach Edey is the clear front-runner to secure the prestigious honor again.
Edey’s odds, which were +210 in early December, remain at -200, making him the heavy favorite for the award.
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Edey averages a double-double at 24.5 points and 10.6 rebounds per game.
Edey was at +105 for the Wooden Award earlier in the month.
Let’s dive into the list of the top contenders.
2023-24 JOHN WOODEN AWARD ODDS: *
Zach Edey, Purdue: -200 (bet $10 to win $15 total)
Hunter Dickinson, Kansas: +370 (bet $10 to win $47 total)
Kyle Filipowski, Duke: +2600 (bet $10 to win $270 total)
Tyson Walker, Michigan State: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Kevin McCullar, Kansas: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Terrence Shannon, Illinois: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
RJ Davis, North Carolina: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
Tyler Kolek, Marquette: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
PJ Hall, Clemson: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
Dalton Knecht, Tennessee: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
* odds as of 12/18/2023
There’s an interesting wager available for Edey’s chances to win the Wooden Award — betting Edey against every other player in the country.
Zach Edey wins Wooden Award
Yes: -200 (bet $10 to win $15 total)
No: +155 (bet $10 to win $25.50 total)
The race for the Wooden Award is between two 7-foot-plus big men in Edey and Kansas’ Hunter Dickinson, the only player within shouting distance of Edey.
Both are averaging double-doubles — Dickinson is at 19.2 points and 12.7 rebounds — and both anchor top-five teams in the country, with Purdue at No. 1 and Kansas is at No. 2.
Moving up as a contender for the Wooden Award is Kansas guard Kevin McCullar.
McCullar is in a three-way tie for fourth at +3500 after he scored 21 or more points in three of his past four games, all wins for the Jayhawks. He has scored at least 12 points in all 11 games for Kansas.
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