2020 Wooden Award Predictions – Favorites, Value Bets & Sleepers: The 2019-2020 College Basketball season is hitting its home stretch, and while teams are busy battling for conference titles and positioning themselves for the NCAA Tournament, the top players in the country are running out of time to make their case for the Wooden Award.
At this point, the list of a realistic candidates has been trimmed down, and while there are definitely a couple of frontrunners, there are still a few intriguing value bets that could be worth your attention. After all, this is the time of year when the stakes are at their highest, and a big game on a big stage can carry a lot of weight with voters.
Favorites to Bet
Obi Toppin, PF, Dayton (+100)
If you like backing the favorite, I suggest investing heavily in Toppin to win the Wooden Award. He’s been ridiculously consistent and efficient for a Daytona team ranked in the top five nationally. He is leading the Flyers in scoring (19.4) and rebounding (7.7) while shooting 62.4 percent from the field. Toppin is also averaging more than a steal and a block per game. He’s the total package on a championship-caliber team.
Luka Garza, C/PF, Iowa (+115)
The versatile big man is carrying the Hawkeyes this season. He ranks fourth in the country in scoring at 23.7 points per game, shooting 55.6 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from 3-point range. Garza isn’t afraid to bang inside either, and he is currently averaging 9.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. In terms of pure value, I’m not sure any player means more to their team, and if he helps Iowa go on a run heading into March, he will likely land himself the Wooden Award.
Value Bets
Jared Butler, PG, Baylor (+400)
Butler doesn’t have the best all-around numbers compared to some of the other Wooden Award frontrunners, but he’s the go-to scorer for a Baylor team ranked No. 1 in the country. Being the best player on the best team has always been a recipe for winning hardware in any sport, and college basketball is no difference. If Butler has a few more big games or hits a big shot or two down the stretch, he could easily jump to the head of the class. I’d put some money on him ahead of this weekend’s showdown with Kansas.
Payton Pritchard, PG, Oregon (+400)
The do-it-all guard has the Ducks battling for a Pac-12 title, and he helps his team win in so many ways. Pritchard is leading to team in scoring (19.5) and assists (5.8) and is also averaging 4.3 rebounds per game. He controls the flow of the game for Oregon, orchestrating the offense while also creating his own shot when he needs to. Playing on the West Coast him a bit, and while he’s not my favorite value bet for the Wooden Award, he does have a puncher’s chance if you are throwing darts at some guys with longer odds.
Markus Howard, PG, Marquette (+500)
When Howard’s shot is falling, few players are more exciting to watch. He currently ranks second in the country, averaging 26.7 points per game, and he has scored 30 or more points 10 times. Howard’s stock is down a bit after a pedestrian three-game stretch against ranked opponents, but if he catches fire and closes the season with a string of 30-point efforts, he could vault back into the mix. If you are looking for a little room for profit, taking a flier on Howard’s explosive scoring ability isn’t a bad gamble.
Devon Dotson, PG, Kansas (+550)
Dotson has been filling up the stat sheet all season. In addition to leading Kansas in scoring at 18.1 points per game, he is also averaging more than four rebounds and four assists per while chipping in 2.1 steals. Dotson is the guy the Jayhawks turn to when they need a big bucket, and he has Kansas in the hunt for a Big 12 title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. He also has a chance to make major statement with a matchup against No. 1 Baylor looming. Dotson is my favorite value bet for the Wooden Award.
Sleeper Special
Vernon Carey Jr., C, Duke (+1500)
Duke doesn’t have a Zion Williamson-type superstar this year, but Carey is anchoring a Blue Devils squad that is among the best in the country. He leads Duke in scoring at 17.6 points per game, and he is doing the heavy lifting on the boards, averaging a team-high 8.7 rebounds. Throw in his ability to defend the rim, and Carey is arguably the most important player on Duke’s roster. Not to mention that playing for the Blue Devils gives him the mainstream exposure to make a late-season run at the Wooden Award if he can strong together some monster double-doubles down the stretch.
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