Men’s college basketball conference tournaments are less than a month away and while the action on the hardwood is heating up, the odds for the 2023 Wooden Award winner are actually cooling off. That’s because at odds of -2500, Purdue’s Zach Edey is not just the heavy favorite but also the most obvious choice. In fact the next closest player to Purdue’s big man is Kansas’ Jalen Wilson at +1400.
The 7’4 center is averaging 22 points per game (fifth in the nation), 12.8 rebounds (second in NCAA) and 2.3 blocks. Despite being listed in the Top 50 on the Wooden Award Preseason Watch List, the Boilermakers’ junior was initially listed at odds of +2300 before the start of the season. Those fortunate enough to grab Edey at those odds are certainly smiling midway through February.
At this point, with these odds, it’s simply not a smart bet to wager on Edey. Bettors would have to risk $2,500 just to win $100. Instead, there are some other long shots that could overtake the Purdue superstar, granted it would take exceptional performances the rest of February and in their conference tournaments.
Wilson of Kansas and Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis both sit at +2000. If looking for an even bigger long shot, some bettors may want to gravitate to Gonzaga’s Drew Timme at +10000.
Zach Edey -2500
Jalen Wilson (Kansas) +2000
Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana) +2000
Brandon Miller (Alabama) +8000
Azuolas Tubelis (Arizona) +8000
Marcus Sasser (Houston) +10000
Drew Timme (Gonzaga) +10000
Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky) +10000
Armando Bacot (North Carolina) +20000
Antoine Davis (Detroit) +20000
Jaime Jacquez Jr (UCLA) +20000
Terquavion Smith (NC State) +20000
Markquis Nowell (Kansas State) +20000
Kris Murray (Iowa) +20000
Isaiah Wong (Miami) +20000
Kyle Filipkowski (Duke) +20000
Keyontae Johnson (Kansas State) +20000
Jalen Pickett (Penn State) +20000
Kendric Davis (Memphis) +20000
Last 10 Wooden Award Winners:
2013: Trey Burke (Michigan) – Burke was the leader of a Michigan team that reached the national championship game.
2014: Doug McDermott (Creighton) – McDermott was one of the most prolific scorers in college basketball history and he led Creighton to the NCAA Tournament in each of his four years.
2015: Frank Kaminsky (Wisconsin) – Kaminsky was a late-bloomer who developed into one of the best players in college basketball in his senior year, leading Wisconsin to the national championship game.
2016: Buddy Hield (Oklahoma) – Hield was a sharpshooter who lit up the scoreboard in his senior year at Oklahoma, leading the Sooners to the Final Four.
2017: Frank Mason III (Kansas) – Mason was a dynamic point guard who led Kansas to the Elite Eight.
2018: Jalen Brunson (Villanova) – Brunson was the floor general for a Villanova team that won the national championship.
2019: Zion Williamson (Duke) – Williamson was a sensation in his freshman year at Duke, showcasing his incredible athleticism and leading the Blue Devils to the Elite Eight.
2020: Obi Toppin (Dayton) – Toppin was a high-flying forward who led Dayton to a 29-2 record.
2021: Luka Garza (Iowa) – Garza was a dominant force in his senior year at Iowa, averaging 24.1 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.
2022: Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky): The forward from Kentucky led the nation with 15.1 rebounds a game and averaged 17.4 points. He finished the 2022 season with 16 straight double-doubles.
Wooden Award voters have leaned toward granting the award to upperclassmen the last 10 years. Williamson is the only freshman in the last 10 years to be named National Player of the Year; the other nine recipients were either seniors or juniors.
The diversity of positions represented by the victors is another trend to keep an eye on when placing bets. The Wooden Award has traditionally gone to guards, but in recent years, big men like Anthony Davis, Kaminsky, and Toppin as well as dynamic wings like McDermott and Hield have won the prize.
The Wooden Award is announced at the annual College Basketball Awards, which take place on Friday, April 9 at 8:00 p.m. ET.
