One of the most enjoyable ways to bet on college basketball is betting on who will win the honor of National Player of the Year at the end of the season, otherwise known as the Wooden Award.
This year is no different, and there are plenty of superstars to choose from. Some have more value than others at this early point in the season, whether we're talking favorites or long shots.
Now that we're a few weeks in, here’s how we see the board when it comes to the college basketball Wooden Award watch.
Note: This article will reference odds at DraftKings.
The Favorite
Zach Edey (+160)
At the top of the board is reigning National Player of the Year, Zach Edey. Purdue’s monstrous center looks like the same dominant force that he was last year, with only one caveat — his Purdue team might be even better than it was last season.
Edey’s scoring and rebounding averages are down slightly from last year, but it's mostly due to him playing four less minutes per game.
We've seen voter fatigue impact the Wooden Award’s results in the last decade — especially with big men like Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe — but Edey looks like he's on track to buck that trend, even while playing less time.
It would be a surprise to see anyone overtake him, barring an injury or Matt Painter deciding to get him even more rest once conference play arrives.
Never say never, but +160 honestly feels like pretty great value for the best player on the best team in the sport.
The Big Threat
Hunter Dickinson (+300)
An old Big Ten Conference foe of Edey’s, Hunter Dickinson took his talents to Bill Self’s Kansas program this summer via the transfer portal.
The early returns have been phenomenal. Dickinson’s scoring, rebounding and assists numbers are all up significantly from last season, and he's added a lethal 3-point jump shot (currently making 62% of his attempts).
While Kansas is also a title contender — just like Purdue — it's worth noting that if the Jayhawks finished the regular season with Big 12 championships and a one-seed, it's possible that Dickinson would actually get more credit from voters than Edey.
Kansas’ supporting cast looks a bit behind Purdue’s, and the Big 12 is much stronger top-to-bottom than the Big Ten is.
There's a clear narrative path for Dickinson to overtake Edey. His team just needs to win to get there.
If these odds were closer to +500, it would be worth taking a shot.
Long Shots Worth Taking
Donovan Clingan (+1800)
Clingan came into the season as a potential option to unseat Edey as the best player in the sport. He took on a starting role for the first time this year, and after nursing an injury for the first few weeks, Clingan finally looks like his full self.
His numbers have been a bit underwhelming due to limited minutes, but expect that to change as the season goes on.
UConn looks like the class of the Big East once again, and if Clingan wins his upcoming individual matchup with Dickinson on Friday, he'll immediately rise up these ranks.
Trey Alexander (+5000)
One additional long shot worth a small wager is Creighton’s Trey Alexander.
Alexander has some insane per game averages to start the season, posting 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists for a Creighton team that many picked to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament.
Alexander has some competition on his own team in Ryan Kalkbrenner, but with Alexander being the superstar option in the backcourt following Ryan Nembhard’s departure, he's the name to trust here.
If Creighton can earn a one-seed in the NCAA tournament, it'll likely be due to Alexander finishing the year with brilliant numbers.
+5000 may quickly be on the move.
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