Earlier this week, the top 20 players for this year’s Wooden Award Watchlist were listed. However, there’s a case to be made that only two players matter. One is Johni Broome, who leads No. 1 Auburn with 18.1 ppg, 10.7 ppg, 3.3 apg, and 2.7 blocks per game. The other is freshman star forward Cooper Flagg, who leads top-5 Duke with 19.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg, and 4.0 apg.
That being said, there are still several weeks of the regular season left and plenty of time for someone to make a late push to earn the Wooden Award. Here are the three most realistic candidates to contend for the top individual prize.
Braden Smith - Purdue Boilermakers
2024-25 season stats: 16.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 8.7 apg
Despite losing 2-time Wooden Award winner Zach Edey, Purdue ranks itself in the top 10 and in the mix to win the Big Ten regular-season title. It’s all thanks to Smith, who already is one of the nation’s leading passers but has also raised his offensive play, scoring 24+ points in four of the last five games. If the Boilermakers can win the Big Ten title, he should be in the running.
Mark Sears - Alabama Crimson Tide
2024-25 season stats: 17.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 4.9 apg
Another star player who has a chance to make national noise is Sears, the leading scorer of the No. 2 team in the nation. He’s been in double figures in every game that he scored this season, including 24 points and nine assists in a road win over Kentucky. If he has a big game and Alabama beats Broome and Auburn in the No. 1 vs No. 2 matchup this weekend, Sears will have a case to make to potentially be ahead of the Tigers big man.
Ryan Kalkbrenner - Creighton Bluejays
2024-25 season stats: 19 ppg, 8.5 rpg, and 2.8 bpg
When looking for a darkhorse contender, look at Creighton’s star big man Kalkbrenner. He’s already one of the best two-way players in the country and is producing career-high offensive numbers, including a career-high 49 points to open the season and 35 points and 12 rebounds in a recent win over Providence. The Bluejays have the chance to tie St. John’s for first place in the Big East standings if they beat them this weekend, and that would help make his case to being the best frontcourt player in college basketball.