John Wooden Award Odds: True Freshman Cameron Boozer Favored

The John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual award in College Basketball, awarded to the nation's best player after each season.

True freshman Cooper Flagg, the Duke forward and No. 1 overall pick won it last year, while Zach Edey of Purdue won it in back-to-back years in 2023 and 2024.

Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while leading a team that was ranked No. 1 for most of the season. Flagg tremendous defesnse - 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game also helped him the award.

Flagg was the first true freshman to win the prestigious award since Zion Williamson also did it with Duke in 2019. With Flagg in the NBA, there are a handful of players among the favorites to win the 2025/26 Wooden Award.

Here's a look at the top 15 candidates and their odds to take home the trophy:

2025/26 John R. Wooden Award odds

Cameron Boozer (Duke)	-1600
AJ Dybantsa (BYU)	+1800
Keaton Wagler (Illinois)	+2500
Braden Smith (Purdue)	+3300
JT Toppin (Texas Tech)	+3300
Joshua Jefferson (Iowa St)	+4000
Kingston Flemings (Houston)	+5000
Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas)	+10000
Darryn Peterson (Kansas)	+12500
Tyler Tanner (Vanderbilt)	+12500
Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan)	+12500

Cameron Boozer (-1600), the son of former NBA player Carlos Boozer, is the heavy favorite to win the Wooden Award in 2026. Boozer has a nice do-it-all game within the three point arc with his dribbling and mid-range shot-making skills, combined with lots of strength and height.

Freshman AJ Dybantsa (+1800), and Darryn Peterson (+12500) join Boozer as the three standout NBA Draft prospects in college basketball this season. Dybantsa has unreal bounce, and his versatile three-level scoring game on offense make him a nightmare to guard.

Peterson was consensually ranked as the No. 1 player across all major recruiting sites, and his body frame, speed, athleticism, and passing skills have drawn comparisons to LeBron James. Peterson was the preseason favorite, but has seen his Wooden Award odds slip after missing a significant amount of games this season.

Keaton Wagler (+2500) has shot up the Wooden Award odds since the beginning of the season. Wagler is a 6' 6" freshman playing for Illinois, and has elevated his team to a top-10 team in the country. Wagler is a deadeye three-point shooter while also having an impressive ability to get his teammates involved on offense.

College basketball fans should recognize the names of Braden Smith (+3300), JT Toppin (+3300), Joshua Jefferson (+4000), and Yaxel Lendeborg (+12500), as all have played at least two years of college ball.

Smith is at the helm of a deep Purdue team, and Toppin is looking to build off his 18.2 points per game campaign last year when he was a second team All-American.

Jefferson is a senior playing his second season with the Cyclones. Landeborg is a transfer from UAB who is a dynamic player that can score, pass, and rebound.

Odds mentioned in this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.

John Wooden Award past winners

Year	Name	College
2024/25	Cooper Flagg	Duke
2023/24	Zach Edey	Purdue
2022/23	Zach Edey	Purdue
2021/22	Oscar Tshiebwe	Kentucky
2020/21	Luka Garza	Iowa
2019/20	Obi Toppin	Dayton
2018/19	Zion Williamson	Duke
2017/18	Jalen Brunson	Villanova
2016/17	Frank Mason III	Kansas
2015/16	Buddy Hield	Oklahoma
2014/15	Frank Kaminsky	Wisconsin
2013/14	Doug McDermott	Creighton
2012/13	Trey Burke	Michigan
2011/12	Anthony Davis	Kentucky
2010/11	Jimmer Fredette	BYU
2009/10	Evan Turner	Ohio State
2008/09	Blake Griffin	Oklahoma
2007/08	Tyler Hansbrough	North Carolina
2006/07	Kevin Durant	Texas
2005/06	JJ Redick	Duke
2004/05	Andrew Bogut	Utah
2003/04	Jameer Nelson	Saint Joseph's
2002/03	TJ Ford	Texas
2001/02	Jason Williams	Duke
2000/01	Shane Battier	Duke
1999/00	Kenyon Martin	Cincinnati
1998/99	Elton Brand	Duke
1997/98	Antawn Jamison	North Carolina
1996/97	Tim Duncan	Wake Forest
1995/96	Marcus Camby	UMass
1994/95	Ed O'Bannon	UCLA
1993/94	Glenn Robinson	Purdue
1992/93	Calbert Cheany	Indiana
1991/92	Christian Laettner	Duke
1990/91	Larry Johnson	UNLV
1989/90	Lionel Simmons	La Salle
1988/89	Sean Elliott	Arizona
1987/88	Danny Manning	Kansas
1986/87	David Robinson	Navy
1985/86	Walter Berry	St. John's
1984/85	Chris Mullin	St. John's
1983/84	Michael Jordan	North Carolina
1982/83	Ralph Sampson	Virginia
1981/82	Ralph Sampson	Virginia
1980/81	Danny Ainge	BYU
1979/80	Darrell Griffith	Louisville
1978/79	Larry Bird	Indiana State
1977/78	Phil Ford	North Carolina
1976/77	Marques Johnson	UCLA

John Wooden Award trophy

The Wooden Award trophy features five bronze figures that depict each of the five skills that John Wooden said a total basketball player must have: rebounding, passing, shooting, dribbling, and defense. The base of the trophy is made out of walnut, and the trophy weighs 25 pounds in total.

John Wooden Award announcement

The winner of the Wooden Award is expected to be announced following the end of the NCAA Tournament in early April.

John Wooden Award voting

The media and fans can vote on the Wooden Award winner. Fans can vote through the award's website, while nearly 1,000 media members - representing all 50 states - vote on the award.

Read the latest College Basketball news on site.