2015 College Basketball Picks: John Wooden Award Odds – Favorites and Contenders

2015 College Basketball Picks: John Wooden Award Odds – Favorites and Contenders: The 2014-15 college basketball regular season is hitting its home stretch. March is just around the corner, and while teams continue to battle for spots and seeding in the NCAA tournament, the top players in the country are trying to stake their claim on this year’s Wooden Award. The contenders were recently narrowed down to the final 20, but among the remaining candidates, some stand out above the rest. With that in mind, here is a closer look at my frontrunners for the Wooden Award.

The Favorites

He continues to be a force on both ends of the court, and Wisconsin forward Frank Kaminsky just seems to be getting better. He is averaging 17.6 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks on the year, and he has topped 20 points in four of his last six games. Kaminsky can stretch the floor like most Wisconsin big men, but despite shooting 40.0 percent from beyond the arc, his ability to provide a presence in the paint is what has helped separate the Badgers from the rest of the Big Ten. Wisconsin is 23-2 overall and 11-1 in conference play, and the only Big Ten game they lost came when Kaminsky was sidelined. If he keeps up his current pace and the Badgers keep winning, Kaminsky could be the guy to beat for the Wooden Award.

Billed as the most polished post scorer in recent memory, Duke center Jahlil Okafor certainly hasn’t disappointed. He currently leads the team in scoring (18.2) and rebounding (9.3), and he is shooting an incredible 66.5 percent from the field. Not to mention the fact that he commands constant double teams helps open up a lot of driving lanes and open shots for the rest of the team. Okafor has also delivered in big games. He scored 17 against Michigan State, 18 against Louisville, and he went for 22 points and 17 rebounds and 20 points and 10 rebounds in two meetings with Notre Dame. The Blue Devils are 22-3 overall despite playing in the loaded ACC, and if Okafor can avoid a freshman letdown in the final weeks, he will be tough to overlook for the Wooden Award.

The Contenders

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have been one of the surprise teams this year, and guard Jerian Grant is a big reason why. The senior is averaging 17.0 points on 50.0 percent shooting to go along with 6.2 assists, and he leads the team in both categories. He can beat opponents as a scorer and a distributor, and with Grant running the show, Notre Dame sits at 22-4 overall and ranks in the top 15 in scoring and second in field goal percentage. His signature game to date came in a win over Duke when he finished with 23 points, six rebounds, 12 assists, two blocks and three steals. If Grant has few more monster games and keeps Notre Dame in contention for the ACC crown, he has a chance to sneak up and grab the Wooden Award.

He is a triple-double threat whenever he steps on the court, and Ohio State guard D’Angelo Russell is single handedly keeping the Buckeyes relevant this season. For the year, he is averaging 19.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He is also knocking down 2.8 3-pointers per game at a 43.1 percent clip. Russell is probably the most statistically impressive candidate for the Wooden Award, but with seven losses already, the Buckeyes will have to go on a major run to close the year for him to jump the frontrunners.

While it is a bit hard for any one player to stand out on Kentucky’s loaded roster, center Willie Cauley-Stein is clearly the most important defender on a team that is undefeated in large part thanks to its record-setting defense. He is averaging 1.6 blocks and 1.4 steals, and his length and athleticism allows him to protect the rim and defend on the perimeter. The junior is also stepping up on the offensive end recently, scoring in double figures in four of his last five games. Cauley-Stein will need a couple of big performances down the stretch, but if the Wildcats remain perfect, his Wooden Award chances can’t be dismissed.

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