Wooden Award 2021 Predictions

It was just a couple of weeks ago when Luka Garza was sitting a -3000 favorites, so things haven’t necessarily gone the right direction since. While the odds tell us he’s still a safe bet to win the 2021 Wooden Award, there seems to be some real value on a couple of these underdogs.

If the Iowa Hawkeyes continue to slip, the John Wooden Award is up for grabs. With the March Madness 2021 around the corner we currently have some juicy odds on the field. We will dive into some of the best bets to make. Make sure to check out the Wooden Award Predictions below.

The John R. Wooden Award certainly hasn’t a favorite at this point, but that doesn’t mean it’s a done deal.

The favorite has some viable underdogs snipping at his ankles and there will be a case to be made for a few guys if things continue like they have. The John R. Wooden Award is given to the CBB player of the year, so it’s obviously a huge honor to win it.

Luka Garza (Iowa) -1000

Jared Butler (Baylor) +500

Ayo Dosunmu (Illinois) +900

Corey Kispert (Gonzaga) +1000

Drew Timme (Gonzaga) +1000

Ron Harper Jr. (Rutgers) +2000

Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana) +2500

Cade Cunningham (Oklahoma State) +3000

Marcus Zegarowski (Creighton) +5000

Collin Gillespie (Gonzaga) +5000

There is simply no disputing what Luka Garza has brought to the table in his senior season. He’s the clear favorite to win the John R. Wooden Award and he should be. Garza is averaging two more points than any other player in the NCAA and he’s clearly the best individual in the nation. College Basketball experts will tell you he’s one of the best CBB big men in a very long time.

With that being said, this article isn’t about the prospects of Luka Garza. Of course the -1000 favorite has a solid shot at winning, but I wouldn’t recommend laying any money at that price. This award is far from over and the guys behind him are on some of the best teams in the country. If Garza wants to re-distance himself from the field, the Hawkeyes must get back on a winning streak.

Let’s dive into some of these other contenders to win the John R. Wooden Award. The player of the year looked to be locked up just a few weeks ago when Garza was listed at -2500, but things have changed fast for a reason.

After Luka Garza and his unbelievable odds to take home the Wooden Award, you have Baylor superstar Jared Butler. The Gonzaga Bulldogs and Baylor Bears are 1a and 1b for the best teams in the NCAA right now. The difference is that Jared Butler takes more of a single load than any Gonzaga player does. 

Butler is arguably the best all-around College Basketball player as he’s better defensively than he is on offense. Per game, he’s averaging 17 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.3 rebounds on top of 2.4 steals. You can count on Butler guarding the opposing teams best player while also holding the highest usage % on offense. 

This guy is no joke and it won’t take much for him to walk away with the Wooden Awar. The Baylor Bears have a few huge games to be played and some marquee performances in those could be the difference-maker.

At this price, it’s impossible not to like Jared Butler. All things are trending downward for the Iowa Hawkeyes and someone else will win this award if things continue that direction. Jared Butler is the most likely candidate, though we will dive into a few others as well. 

Quamdeen “Ayo” Dosunmu is third in the John Wooden Award Odds behind Luka Garza and Jared Butler. Dosunmu fell victim to a bad start as did the entire Fighting Illini team. They’ve since clawed back and the odds for this award have followed. 

Dosunmu is a 6’5 do-it-all PG that is a massive mismatch for every team in the nation. He’s averaging 21.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per night while hitting just under 50% of his shots. 

He’s also a menace on the defensive end, covering the opposing team’s best perimeter player and averaging 1.1 steals per game. Dosunmu is a junior and his veteran presence shows in an obvious manner. If Luka Garza and Iowa continue to slip, Dosunmu is a guy that can take advantage. 

The Fighting Illini have already beaten Iowa this season and they have the tools to beat anyone in the country. If they can continue to roll and both Garza and Butler falter, I can easily see this award going to Ayo Dosunmu. It’s worth taking a shot at this number.

There is a very real argument to be made for Cade Cunningham, who is the best freshman in College Basketball. The Oklahoma State Cowboys aren’t very good without Cunningham and he’s the only reason they are even sniffing the NCAA tournament. He’s a future NBA star and it’s quite obvious when watching him with the ball in his hands.

The Oklahoma State Cowboys simply don’t have much firepower on either side of the ball and it’s encouraging to see a freshman pick up so much of the slack by himself. The 6’8, 220-pound SF is up to 18.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. 

While it would take quite a bit for it to happen, there’s nothing wrong with betting on the best freshman in the nation to pull out a monstrous last month. The Cowboys are second in PAC-12 odds and a conference championship will truly put Cunningham into the mix. For now, he’s a long shot worth taking a look at. 

When reading the John Wooden Award odds, they read the same as any other future odds. Let’s use the current odds above. In order to collect $100 on a Luka Garza (-1000) bet, you must lay $1000. This is an extremely risky bet to make, though the sportsbooks are telling you it’s incredibly likely to happen.

Let’s take a look at how it would go when wagering on an underdog. If you make a $100 wager on Jared Butler at +500, you will receive $500 on top of your initial investment.

A $100 wager on a +2000 Ron Harper Jr. would return $2000 if he were to win. These guys are unlikely to win according to the sportsbooks, though much crazier things have happened.

We will be the ones to decide that. This is still a wide-open contest and there are a number of players who still have a real chance to take this down.

The John R. Wooden Award is awarded to the NCAA’s top College Basketball player of the year. You can think of this like the MVP Award of CBB. There is typically a runaway contender at this point, and this season is no different. Luka Garza currently sits with a -1000 line.

Who is John R Wooden?

John R. Wooden was the first man to ever be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He coached ten NCAA Championship-winning teams and is known by many as the best basketball coach of all-time. This Award was originally given to just men, though that changed in 2004.

When is the Wooden Award Announced?

The John Wooden All-American team is announced during the “Elite Eight” round. The winner, however, isn’t announced until the conclusion of the 2021 NCAA Tournament Championship. That is scheduled to happen on April 5th, 2021. You can expect the Wooden Award to be announced shortly thereafter.

2020: Obi Toppin, Dayton

2019: Zion Williamson, Duke

2018: Jalen Brunson, Villanova

2017: Frank Mason, Kansas

2016: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma

2015: Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin

2014: Doug McDermott, Creighton

2013: Trey Burke, Michigan

2012: Anthony Davis, Kentucky

2011: Jimmer Fredette, BYU

2010: Evan Turner, Ohio State

2009: Blake Griffin, Oklahoma

2008: Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina

2007: Kevin Durant, Texas

2006: J.J. Redick, Duke

2005: Andrew Bogut, Utah