Rush The Court

The Wooden Award released its midseason top 25 list last week. College basketball’s top individual honor will likely go to a player named on that list, but there’s still time for others (attention: Wichita State’s Fred VanVleet, Virginia’s Malcolm Brogdon and Syracuse’s Rakeem Christmas) to work their way into the picture. However, it’s also true that the field of real contenders for the award is thinning as we near February and March. RTC handicaps the race for the Wooden…

Jahlil Okafor, Duke. Odds To Win = 3/2.

Any national Player of the Year discussion must begin with Duke’s freshman sensation. Okafor’s averages of 18.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game begin to explain his value to the Blue Devils, but the impact of his presence runs much deeper than that. His steadiness (double-figure points in every game this season) has stabilized a Duke attack that was far more reliant on the three-point shot a season ago, while his unselfishness has helped the Duke guards find space on the perimeter. The presumptive top pick in next June’s NBA Draft has looked like the best player in college basketball from opening night, but an April coronation as the National Player of the Year will surely depend on Duke’s success. Balance has fueled the rise of other national title contenders (Kentucky and Virginia most notable among them), but there is no question that Okafor will continue to lead the Duke charge. Pole position has been well-earned: This is Okafor’s award to lose.

Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin. Odds To Win = 5/2.

Kaminsky nabbed the national spotlight last March with a show-stopping regional final performance against Arizona. He has not given it up since. ‘Frank the Tank’ is grabbing more rebounds (8.2 RPG this season), blocking more shots (1.8 BPG) and even handing out more assists (2.4 APG) than he did a year ago. The Wisconsin center has been outstanding all season, but his value to the Badgers may have been best exhibited in a 40 minute stint on the bench. As their star sat out with a concussion on January 11, Wisconsin fell to Rutgers in one of the most shocking results of the season. The loss showed just how important the versatile center has become for Bo Ryan’s team. A balanced Badgers’ lineup may pose some threat to Kaminsky’s Wooden Award chances, but that surrounding talent is also what’s made the his team legitimate national title contenders. And as Wisconsin chases that elusive championship, its versatile big man is making a serious push for the most prestigious of individual accolades.

Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky. Odds = 8/1.

It’s difficult to identify the most valuable individual on the Kentucky roster, but the best team in college basketball this season (and perhaps recent history) earns a slot in this debate by virtual default. Cauley-Stein leads the Wildcats in rebounds (6.9 RPG), steals (1.7 SPG) and field-goal percentage (57%), and he is second on the team in minutes and blocks. A successful Wooden campaign for Cauley-Stein (or any other Wildcat) will likely need two things: The first is a historic season for the team. That doesn’t necessarily mean an unblemished 40-0 record, but the Wildcats would need to position themselves among the elite squads in recent college hoops history. The second requisite item is a signature moment (or two) from Cauley-Stein. He has made critical plays in key moments for the ‘Cats before, but if those instances start to happen a bit more often, Cauley-Stein’s case for the Wooden Award will get a lot more real.

Jerian Grant, Notre Dame. Odds = 12/1.

The most unlikely of current ACC title contenders has given birth to a very legitimate NPOY candidate: Jerian Grant. A year after losing most of his junior season to academic suspension, the senior guard has been nothing short of brilliant in leading the 17-2 Irish. He’s averaged 16.8 points and 6.3 assists per game and is the primary reason why Notre Dame owns the nation’s most efficient offense. His redemption tour has been defined by consistency: Grant has scored 10 or more points and handed out five or more assists in 15 of 19 contests this season. If he and the rest of the Irish continue their hyper-efficient ways, this surprisingly successful Notre Dame season could conclude with its leader accepting some postseason hardware.

Delon Wright, Utah. Odds = 12/1.

The title of “do-everything player” is routinely bandied about these days, but it could not be more accurate in the case of Delon Wright. The Utah star may well be the most versatile player in the entire country. He has averaged 15.0 points, 5.8 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game in leading the Utes to a 14-3 (4-1 Pac-12) start this season, and the 6’5” point guard also routinely guards opponents’ best perimeter scorers. His fingerprints inevitably wind up all over box scores and final results alike; Delon Wright is seemingly EVERYWHERE. If Utah can find a way to unseat Arizona in the Pac-12 and Wright’s chaos-wrecking ways continue, the versatile Utah star has a chance at making himself a Wooden Award winner.

Justin Anderson, Virginia. Odds = 16/1.

Anderson may be the most unlikely NPOY candidate at the season’s midway point. The 6’6” junior averaged just 7.8 points per game last season in an understudy role to Joe Harris and Malcolm Brogdon, but he has developed into the Cavaliers’ leading man this year. His averages won’t wow you – 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game – but Anderson’s steady play has been emblematic of the Cavaliers’ clinically efficient season to date. Ken Pomeroy currently lists four Cavaliers among his top eight contenders for NPOY honors (FOUR!), including the preseason all-ACC nominee Brogdon. That balance adds a touch of confusion to Anderson’s Wooden credentials, but to this point, he’s been the best player on the second-best team in college basketball. He can win this award.

Montrezl Harrell, Louisville. Odds = 18/1.

Let’s not beat around the bush: Louisville has been slightly disappointing to this point in the season and it is this reality that has dampened the enthusiasm surrounding Harrell’s Wooden campaign. The 6’7” junior has been everything we expected him to be (14.9 points and 9.2 rebounds per game), but Harrell will not win the Wooden Award if his team isn’t a national title contender. The Cardinals can still get there eventually (and a 15-3 start ceartainly isn’t a complete disaster), although teammate Terry Rozier (also on the midseason watch list) could also generate some buzz if that comes to fruition.

Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga. Odds = 18/1.

Wiltjer has been phenomenal in his first season as a Bulldog (16.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 46% 3FG), but his Wooden case likely hinges on the failure of other candidates (and their teams) to produce. Gonzaga will continue to win games and Wiltjer will keep making shots, but will the other players at the top of this list stumble enough to allow him a shot at the postseason honor? One can only bolster their case so much in games against teams ranking outside the top 100.

Juwan Staten, West Virginia. Odds = 25/1.

The 15-3 Mountaineers have been vastly improved this season, but the explosive Staten has been slightly worse statistically than he was a year ago on a much worse team. Points, rebounds, assists and field goal percentage are all down for WVU’s lead guard, but Staten is still one of college basketball’s most dynamic talents. More Mountaineer wins and an uptick in his individual production would strengthen a currently shaky case for the Wooden Award.

Field. Odds = 8/1.

As defined as the race for the Wooden Award race feels right now, there’s still plenty of time for other players – both on and off the watch list – to build a case for the honor. Who are some of the more likely candidates not receiving their own odds on this list? An upperclassman, Iowa State’s Georges Niang, and a pair of freshman, Duke’s Tyus Jones and Arizona’s Stanley Johnson, may be your best bets.