2023-24 Men’s Wooden Award Odds & Favorites: Who Could Deny Edey a Historic Repeat?

Since the inception of the men’s Wooden Award in 1977, there has been only one two-time or repeat winner, Virginia’s Ralph Sampson, who won the award in 1982 and 1983.

Perhaps it is only fitting that another seven-foot-four double-double machine could finally be the player to give Sampson some company in his rather exclusive club this season.

Last season ended in heart-crushing fashion for Purdue, but it was overall a memorable campaign for the Boilermakers and Zach “The Big Maple” Edey.

Edey averaged 22.3 points per game, 12.9 rebounds per game, and 2.1 blocks per game, and he recorded 27 double-doubles in 34 games.

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Stat-sheet filling big men have been all the rage in the NBA in recent years, with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, and Joel Embiid accounting for the last five NBA MVP wins.

That same success has taken place on the collegiate level. The two Wooden Award winners that preceded Edey, Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe (2022) and Iowa’s Luka Garza (2021) were centers, and no backcourt player has won the award since Villanova’s Jalen Brunson did so in 2018.

With the new college basketball season now underway, Edey is favored to join rare air. But he has some stiff competition, led by a trio of fellow big men.

2023-24 Men’s Wooden Award Winner Odds

Odds are courtesy of BetUS.

• Zach Edey, Purdue +185
• Kyle Filipowski, Duke +500
• Hunter Dickinson, Kansas +650
• Armando Bacot, North Carolina +1600
• Donovan Clingan, UConn +1800
• Tyson Walker, Michigan State +2500
• Max Abmas, Texas +3000
• Oumar Ballo, Arizona +3000
• Tyler Kolek, Marquette +3000
• Isaiah Collier, USC +3500
• Caleb Love, Arizona +3500
• R.J. Davis, North Carolina +4000
• Justin Moore, Villanova +5000
• Johnell Davis, Florida Atlantic +5500
• Jahmir Young, Maryland +5500
• DaRon Holmes II, Dayton +6000
• Tyrese Hunter, Texas +6000
• Grant Nelson, Alabama +6000

Men’s Wooden Award Favorites

Zach Edey, Purdue (+185)

Even if the Boilermakers remain near the top of the rankings all season and repeat as Big Ten regular season and tournament champs, Edey still may not be able to repeat as Wooden Award winner.

But Edey is doing his part by getting off to a strong start, and in Purdue’s first test of the season, he put up 28 points, 11 rebounds, and four blocks in a win over Xavier.

The Boilermakers have a tough schedule, so Edey will have no shortage of opportunities to put up award-winning performances. In addition to next week’s Maui Invitational and their Big Ten slate, Purdue will face Alabama and Arizona in non-conference action next month.

Kyle Filipowski, Duke (+500)

After averaging 15.1 PPG and 8.9 RPG as a freshman last season, Filipowski opted for a return to school over a jump to the NBA and is expected to have a huge season for the Blue Devils, who are expected to contend for a national title in coach Jon Scheyer’s second season.

Those expectations for Filipowski, as well as his Wooden Award odds, appear to be justified, based on early returns.

He had 25 points in each of Duke’s first two games, and while he had a subpar night from the field and picked up four fouls in Tuesday’s win over Michigan State, he still came up big with 15 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and two blocks.

Hunter Dickinson, Kansas (+650)

These Wooden Award odds were prior to Tuesday night’s Champions Classic matchup with Kentucky and might be shorter going forward after Dickinson’s monster performance against the Wildcats.

Dickinson hit the ground running in Lawrence, averaging 19.5 PPG, 8.0 RPG, and 3.5 APG in his first two games. But he turned things up a few notches in helping the Jayhawks rally to beat the Wildcats in Chicago, racking up 27 points, 21 rebounds, and three steals.

Recent Men’s Wooden Award Winners

• 2023: Zach Edey, Purdue
• 2022: Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky
• 2021: Luka Garza, Iowa
• 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

Notable Men’s Wooden Award Winners

• 1979: Larry Bird, Indiana State
• 1982 & 1983: Ralph Sampson, Virginia
• 1984: Michael Jordan, North Carolina
• 1985: Chris Mullin, St. John’s
• 1987: David Robinson, Navy
• 1992: Christian Laettner, Duke
• 1997: Tim Duncan, Wake Forest
• 2007: Kevin Durant, Texas
• 2009: Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
• 2012: Anthony Davis, Kentucky