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Men's Wooden Award Winner Predictions, Betting Odds & Favorites to Win 2025

Contributors
Updated December 3, 2024
9 min read
  • After winning back-to-back Wooden Awards, Zach Edey opted to stay into the 2024 NBA Draft, leaving the award open in the upcoming 2024-25 campaign.

  • Johni Broome’s Wooden Award winner odds (+200) have skyrocketed after Auburn’s fantastic start to the season.

  • Centers have won the Wooden Award in each of the past four seasons.

Since 1977, the John R. Wooden Award has been given to the most outstanding player in college basketball. One thousand sportswriters and sportscasters from all over the country vote for the player they deem the most worthy of the award based on individual statistics, team performance, and more.

Last season, Zach Edey became just the second player to win two Wooden Awards, leading Purdue to the National Championship game and averaging 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game on an astoundingly efficient 62.3% shooting from the field.

Johni Broome has jumped to the front of the Wooden Award odds frontrunners after a red-hot start to the 2024-25 campaign. Broome has already led the Auburn Tigers to huge wins over UNC, Memphis, Iowa State, and Houston. 

Those wins would complete the resumes of most top seeds, but the Auburn Tigers haven’t even started conference play yet!

Can Cooper Flagg and the rest of the field catch up to Broome, one of the best two-way frontcourt players in the country?

Find out below which of these players are our favorites to win the Wooden Award this season and their respective odds!

2025 NCAA Men’s Wooden Award Odds

Below, we have listed the odds favorites to win the 2025 Men’s Wooden Award in a table, including Hunter Dickinson, R.J. Davis, Mark Sears, A.J. Storr, L.J. Cryer, Johnell Davis, and others. 

The odds below are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Follow the listed link and place your favorite Wooden Award future bet at FanDuel: Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet Wins.

NameSchoolOdds
Johni BroomeAuburn+200
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Cooper FlaggDuke+250
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Kam JonesMarquette+650
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Braden SmithPurdue+1500
BET HERE
Hunter DickinsonKansas+2000
BET HERE
R.J. DavisNorth Carolina+2000
BET HERE
Mark SearsAlabama+3000
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Walter Clayton JrFlorida+4000
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Egor DeminBYU+4000
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Alex KarabanUConn+4000
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Ryan KalkbrennerCreighton+4000
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Dylan HarperRutgers+5500
BET HERE
Ace BaileyRutgers+5500
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Josh HubbardMississippi State+7500
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Chaz LanierTennessee+7500
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Tre JohnsonTexas+7500
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Mackenzie MgbakoIndiana+10000
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Caleb LoveArizona+10000
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Trey Kaufman-RennPurdue+10000
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Ryan NembhardGonzaga+10000
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Kadary RichmondSt. John’s+10000
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L.J. CryerHouston+10000
BET HERE
Boogie FlandArkansas+10000
BET HERE
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Wooden Award Winner Predictions

2025 Men’s Wooden Award Winner Favorites

(G) Johni Broome (+200) - Auburn

Broome’s return to Auburn immediately made the Tigers a title-contending team again; however, what he has done so far this season has made them the best team in the country.

Through the end of November, Broome has averaged 20.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 3.1 blocks per game on 59.4% shooting from the field.

Broome isn’t just one of the biggest offensive threats in the country due to his three-level scoring, size, athleticism, and touch; he’s also one of the premier rim protectors.

Through the end of November, Auburn had one of the ten-hardest schedules nationally, yet Broome has still been able to post these ridiculous statistics with remarkable efficiency.

If the Tigers keep winning and he keeps dominating both ends of the floor, his odds will continually tighten. It could very well be worth it to grab them where they are right now!

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(F) Cooper Flagg (+250) - Duke

Don’t let a few late-game mistakes and turnovers take over your objectivity. 

Objectively, Cooper Flagg is one of the best two-way players in the country, utilizing his incredible length, athleticism, size, strength, and skill to lead the Blue Devils in points, rebounds, assists, and blocks per game.

Thus far, Flagg has averaged 15.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game on 44.4% shooting from the floor.

Flagg will have to get more consistent in knocking down shots from behind the arc, as well as limiting turnovers.

However, he should continue to improve throughout the season, and if that happens, he could wind up being the best player in the country.

Pair those improvements with a successful Duke season, and a Wooden Award is certainly within the realm of possibility for Flagg.

Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets at FanDuel

(C) Kam Jones (+650) - Marquette

Marquette has handled every test it has been faced with so far in the 2024-25 regular season, including Purdue at home, Maryland on the road, and Georgia on a neutral site.

The Golden Eagles have jumped up to fifth in the nation in the AP Poll despite losing star guard Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro to the NBA at the end of last season.

To no one’s surprise, Kam Jones has been the reason for this seamless transition, averaging close to 20 points, six assists, and five rebounds per game on an eye-popping 65.3% shooting from the floor and 45.5% from 3-point land.

Jones has even taken a sizable leap on the defensive end of the floor, recording 1.5 steals per game, 0.4 more than last season.

As a team, the Golden Eagles have improved from the 17th-best defensive team (KenPom) last year to the sixth-best so far this year. Jones has made a concerted effort to take a step forward in that area, giving Marquette a legitimate chance to be a title-contending squad.

Wager $5 at FanDuel for $150 in Bonus Bets

2025 Men’s Wooden Award - My Pick 

Johni Broome - Auburn (+200 at FanDuel) 

Centers and power forwards have won the Wooden Award every season since 2019, indicating a trend that is worth paying attention to.

In this case, power forward/center Johni Broome will likely keep that trend moving forward.

Broome’s prowess on both ends of the floor, as well as Auburn’s team success, are huge differentiating factors that could give him an edge over most other potential Wooden Award candidates.

The only other player who dominates offensively and defensively, posts huge statistics, and is on one of the best teams in the country is Flagg.

However, it has become increasingly rare for a freshman to win the award.

Further, Broome is substantially more efficient offensively than Flagg, shooting 15% better from the floor. Efficiency matters.

Ultimately, Auburn will probably be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will have a terrific opportunity to win the SEC Tournament and regular season titles.

Get a $150 With a $5 Winning Wager at FanDuel

Men’s Wooden Award History

Who Won the Men’s Wooden Award in 2024?

After dominating every team the Purdue Boilermakers faced, Zach Edey secured his second consecutive Wooden Award last season in 2024. 

Edey averaged a monstrous 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game on a tremendous 62.3% shooting from the field. Edey anchored the Boilermakers’ defense while being the offensive hub on the other end of the floor.

Edey became just the second player in the history of college basketball to win back-to-back Wooden Awards, joining former Virginia legend Ralph Sampson. 

Like Edey, Sampson was a dominant 7-foot-4 center with incredible touch and footwork around the rim.

Who Has Won the Men's Wooden Award?

Year Name School
2024 Zach Edey Purdue
2023 Zach Edey Purdue
2022 Oscar Tshiebwe Kentucky
2021 Luka Garza Iowa
2020 Obi Toppin Dayton
2019 Zion Williamson Duke
2018 Jalen Brunson Villanova
2017 Frank Mason III Kansas 
2016 Buddy Hield Oklahoma
2015 Frank Kaminsky Wisconsin
2014 Doug McDermott Creighton
2013 Trey Burke Michigan
2012 Anthony Davis Kentucky
2011 Jimmer Fredette BYU
2010 Evan Turner Ohio State
2009 Blake Griffin Oklahoma
2008 Tyler Hansbrough North Carolina
2007 Kevin Durant Texas
2006 J.J. Redick Duke
2005 Andrew Bogut Utah
2004 Jameer Nelson Saint Joseph’s
2003 T.J. Ford Texas
2002 Jason Williams Duke
2001 Shane Battier Duke
2000 Kenyon Martin Cincinnati
1999 Elton Brand Duke
1998 Antawn Jamison North Carolina
1997 Tim Duncan Wake Forest
1996 Marcus Camby UMass
1995 Ed O’Bannon UCLA
1994 Glenn Robinson Purdue
1993 Calbert Cheaney Indiana
1992 Christina Laettner Duke
1991 Larry Johnson UNLV
1990 Lionel Simmons La Salle
1989 Sean Elliott Arizona
1988 Danny Manning Kansas
1987 David Robinson Navy
1986 Walter Berry St. John’s
1985 Chris Mullin St. John’s
1984 Michael Jordan North Carolina
1983 Ralph Sampson Virginia
1982 Ralph Sampson Virginia
1981 Danny Ainge BYU
1980 Darrell Griffith Louisville
1979 Larry Bird Indiana State
1978 Phil Ford North Carolina
1977 Marques Johnson UCLA

Men’s Wooden Award FAQ

Has Anyone Won the Men’s Wooden Award More than Once?

When Will the Men’s Wooden Award Winner Be Revealed?

Where Is March Madness 2024?

When Is March Madness 2024?

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Andrew Norton WSN

Andrew Norton

Sports Betting Analyst

Expertise:
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Andrew has always been an avid sports fan and followed his hoop dreams all the way to college. He’s well-versed in everything betting with multiple years of experience and is qualitatively and quantitatively knowledgeable in sports statistics and analytics.
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