2024-25 NCAAB John Wooden Award Odds and Predictions

The best player in college basketball gets the John Wooden Award. This year, that figures to be North Carolina Tar Heels star guard, RJ Davis. He leads the way with the best 2024-25 John Wooden Awards odds as the new NCAAB season nears.

The new season officially tips off with regular season action beginning on November 4th, and so too will begin the journey to crown a new player of the year. Zach Edey hoisted the hardware in each of the last two seasons, but now that he’s in the NBA, someone new is a lock to win.

You can hang your hat on the betting favorite and go with RJ Davis, or you can aim higher for more value. I’ll walk you through the latest odds to help you decide what option is best, and then close things out with my winner prediction.

Want to bet on more college basketball markets? Make sure you stop by our college basketball picks page. For now, let’s break down the John Wooden Award betting odds.

2024-25 John Wood Award Odds

The following odds can be found at most NCAA basketball betting sites.

At first glance, this does feel like a three-man race. RJ Davis has the best odds to win the 2024-25 John Wooden Award, but Hunter Dickinson really isn’t far behind.

Mark Sears joins them as the only players with odds of +700 or better, while that trio represents the only NCAAB players with odds better than +1800.

Can you stop your research there, and start trying to decide which of these players you should be backing? The pricing suggests as much, but it’s my job to turn over every stone and see if anyone else is worth your time.

On top of that, I’d also suggest shopping around for the best price possible. In addition, if you find some good sports betting handicappers that make picks for markets like this, that also isn’t a bad idea.

Of course, I have my own ideas as to who you should bet on, so let’s dive into this race, starting with the John Wooden Award betting favorite.

Why is RJ Davis the 2024-25 John Wooden Award Favorite?

Your favorite to win the John Wooden Award is RJ Davis, largely because he’s an elite talent for one of the more prolific schools in the nation (North Carolina).

That, and John Wooden Award candidates tend to play on very good college basketball teams. UNC fits the bill in both regards, as they’re an iconic university, but the Tar Heels also rank 9th in the preseason Top 25 college basketball rankings.

Even more important? Davis was a proven stud from a statistical perspective last season. The fourth-year guard averaged career highs across the board, putting up 21.2 points and 3.5 assists per game. He even shot a career-best 39.8% from long range.

Davis continued his stellar 2023-24 season into March Madness, as he averaged 21 points per game through North Carolina’s first two games. His team would ultimately fall to the Alabama Crimson Tide in a wild 89-87 shootout, but he still chipped in 16 points and seven dimes in a losing effort.

Could there be another level to RJ Davis’s game that he can access en route to vaulting North Carolina further up the Top 25 rankings? That remains to be seen, but when looking at viable John Wooden Award contenders, the conversation undeniably starts with him.

Top 2024-25 John Wooden Award Contenders

While Davis is a solid betting favorite, there are two more players who stand in his way and look like very good bets for this CBB market.

Hunter Dickinson +650

Most will remember Hunter Dickinson as a member of the Michigan Wolverines. That’s only natural, as that’s where he spent three of his college basketball seasons. He transferred to play with the Kansas Jayhawks last year, however, and wound up recording a career-high 10.9 rebounds per game.

Dickinson was a double-double machine, while the 7’2” tower has been a dominant shot-blocker (1.5 per game) throughout his career, and has also provided reliable offense (17.4 points per game).

None of that changed in his one year with the Jayhawks, and he’s fully expected to continue his dominant ways as Kansas tries to live up to their #1 overall ranking inside the preseason Top 25.

Right away, Dickinson does feel like a safer bet than RJ Davis. First, because his team is projected to be better. Kansas enters the 2024-25 college basketball season as the most formidable squad, and they have serious title aspirations.

Dickinson is a big reason for that. He really doesn’t need to take a massive statistical leap to have a shot at this award, either. Averaging a double-double and leading a #1 seed contender would do the trick.

Mark Sears +700

If you’re looking for legit John Wooden Award contenders, Alabama’s Mark Sears has to be in the mix. The versatile guard rebounds decently for his position, is a solid playmaker, and pours in over 21 points per game.

That’s exactly what he did a season ago, when his 21.5 points per game registered as his career-best and helped the Crimson Tide make a solid NCAA tourney run.

Sears also shot 50% from the floor and 43.6% from deep, further displaying his multifaceted game on offense. So, what will it take to elevate his game and move his name past the likes of Dickinson or Davis? Probably a small spike in scoring production, his assist total climbing, and/or Alabama once again enjoying an elite season.

As far as talent and production, it’s easy to see why Sears is in the mix for the John Wooden Award. Alabama enters the new season ranked #2 in the preseason polls, too, so as far as team success goes, he’s right there with his competition.

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Best 2024-25 John Wooden Award Betting Value

The value is pretty good even for the top John Wooden Award contenders, so it doesn’t take much to work your way to a nice sleeper that could return a ton of cash.

They just need to actually win, of course. A few guys don’t even have John Wooden odds yet – namely Cooper Flagg – and there are several first-year guys such as VJ Edgecombe that stand out as options that could be in for a slam dunk showing.

Of course, this award typically goes to more established players, and it also factors in team success. Naturally, betting on a bunch of Freshman options might not be the best strategy.

All things said, my favorite John Wooden Award sleeper pick is Alex Karaban. The UConn star hasn’t fully broken out yet, but last year (13.3 points and 51. Rebounds per game) may have been a stepping stone toward high-level success.

Karaban looks like an NBA prospect, as he has good size, length, and can shoot it from deep (career 38.9% shooter from three). He may have to sell the pro scouts on his defense and athleticism, but the overall offensive skill-set looks good and there’s a chance he really takes off in year three.

Just as important? The Huskies open the year ranked #3 in the Top 25, and they’re fresh off yet another championship. It’s anyone’s guess if they can actually defend that, but if they come remotely close, it’s likely that Karaban will be a big reason why.

2024-25 John Wood Award Prediction

It’s fun to talk about contenders and value picks, but this feels like Hunter Dickinson’s award to lose. We saw Zach Edey dominate on both ends of the floor the past two years, and that’s the type of effort it takes.

Either you need eye-popping stats, high-level team success, or a little bit of both. Dickinson is a defensive eraser and can rebound with the best of them, while a push for 20+ points would be the icing on the cake.

As far as his team goes, Kansas at least starts off the 2024-25 season as the team to beat. It’s true that rarely holds up, but it doesn’t necessarily have to. Elite two-way production and a solid overall season out of the Jayhawks, and Dickinson has a great chance to deliver at welcoming +650 odds.

Bet: Hunter Dickinson +650

Recent John Wooden Award Winners