The John R. Wooden Award, named after the legendary UCLA head coach, is given to the most outstanding college basketball player in the United States. It’s basically college basketball’s version of The Heisman Trophy.
Now, we have the five 2022-23 finalists for the prestigious award. It’s a list highlighted by Purdue big man Zach Edey, but it also features Indiana Hoosiers forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, Houston guard Marcus Sasser, Gonzaga forward Drew Timme, and Kansas forward Jalen Wilson.
Edey is the big name on this list, literally, and there’s a solid chance he walks away with the award. He checks in at an imposing 7-foot-4, 295 pounds, and averaged a double-double this season for the Boilermakers with 22.3 points and 12.9 rebounds per game.
His rebounds per game were second in the nation only to Kentucky senior Oscar Tshiebwe, who averaged 13.7. Edey was tied for sixth nationally in points per game with UAB’s Jordan Walker. Detroit Mercy senior guard Antoine Davis led the country with 28.2 points per game, for perspective.
Gonzaga’s Drew Timme is another notable name on the finalist’s list, if only because he seemingly has been playing for the ‘Zags for the past 20 seasons. Jokes aside, he was the best player on one of the best teams in the nation, leading the Bulldogs with 21.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. He put up 36 points and 13 rebounds in Gonzaga’s Sweet 16 win over UCLA.
All of the aforementioned players are a part of the Wooden Award 2022-23 All-American team and they’re joined by five others: Jaime Jaquez Jr. from UCLA,, Brandon Miller from Alabama,, Jalen Pickett from Penn State, Azuolas Tubelis from Arizona, and Tshiebwe.
