NCAAM Wooden Award Bets get updated as the first “Watch Lists” get released. NCAA Basketball Vegas odds for the 2024-25 season have been out for months but the awards go through their first significant update. Pundits know it is very early. Yes, the question is always going to be asked. Will Cooper Flagg win from Duke or will it not be the favorite?
Men's Wooden Award Update | |||
Cooper Flagg | +550 | +375 | +420 |
Hunter Dickinson | +700 | +800 | +750 |
RJ Davis | +750 | +800 | +750 |
Malik Sears | +800 | +700 | +800 |
Kam Jones | +1400 | +900 | +1100 |
Ryan Kalkbrenner | +1800 | +1500 | +1600 |
Johni Broome | +2000 | +2000 | +2200 |
NCAAM Wooden Award Bets look to Cooper Flagg first. Now, this will be interesting since Zach Edey won the Wooden Award in back-to-back years. Since Edey moved on to the NBA, a new award winner will be chosen. There are plenty of solid candidates to take home college basketball’s most prestigious honor. Right now, Flagg, the Duke Freshman, leads the way in November watch lists.
Duke is desperate to get back to the Final Four. Last season, Jon Scheyer went 27-9 again but were eliminated in the Elite Eight. The Blue Devils are hoping that the 6-foot-9 swing forward can lead the team to National Championship glory. Early returns have been interesting as Flagg gets acclimated to the rigors of college basketball under the microscope.
Overall, Maine and Army are not top-notched opponents which allowed Flagg to play fewer minutes. Keeping rested early could pay dividends later. Do not expect Flagg to play 30+ minutes early as often yet sportsbooks keep shortening his numbers. We saw a +375 on Bovada and +500 on a few other sites. It is clear that Flagg stands as the current top favorite. No one else is too close to him at this time.
The numbers for awards like this expect to move around considerably. Alas, it becomes a fun challenge to time wagers out. Unlike the last two years, trying to figure out a low point in the season for Zach Edey was quite a challenge. Flagg presents less obstacles there. Bovada Las Vegas Online Sportsbook Review keeps looking for other contenders too.
NCAAM Wooden Award Bets like Mark Sears. The Alabama guard helps lead one of the most potent offensive attacks in the nation. He can easily average 20 points a game while shooting around 50% from the field. Furthermore, his ability to play point guard and shooting guard are valuable and help keep the Crimson Tide offense running at all cylinders.
Expect Sears to be in the discussion all year long. Last season, the fourth-year player averaged 21.5 points and 4.0 assists per game. He added 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals per contest too. It is early in the year but as the games grow larger in scope, expect Sears to rise up. Even his defensive win shares have been in the Top 20 in three of his first four seasons.
Yes, Alabama’s supporting cast will play a role. Nate Oats saw his team average 90.1 points per game and get to the National Semifinal in 2024. They ran out of gas against Connecticut but there is no shame in that. Sears was an unbelievable force in the tournament and the Crimson Tide will need that again in SEC play. He handled the expectations well when it counted last year.
Bettors have a solid choice here. Again, that +800 number on Bovada and MyBookie are the current best numbers. The hope is that would lengthen out some. After all, the volume and strength of SEC could amplify his case. It also did not hurt that Sears won the midseason version of the Wooden Award and was on the All NCAA Tournament Team in 2024.
NCAAM Wooden Award Bets ask what about some other players to consider. This year’s Wooden Award field is considerably more wide open than most seasons. Even though there was some early doubt, 2024 felt like Zach Edey’s year. It was cemented the second Purdue got out of the first round of the NCAA Tournament unscathed. Voters made their decisions already but they were validated at that juncture.
Other ways to navigate this field is probably to take a few fliers on players that could have big seasons. Again, is this finally the year for Ryan Kalkbrenner? Kalkbrenner is +1800 on Bovada and went for 49 in a game early last week. The Senior can shoot from the furthest reaches and can play inside the paint as well. Some were hoping the Creighton player would go longer than +2000 but the number is reasonable.
Look for the players that can make impact early and late. That is a considerable challenge. Hunter Dickinson is right up there but can he up his game that much more for the Kansas Jayhawks. Dickinson led college basketball averaging 10.9 rebounds a contest. However, too often, he could not be counted on that critical play. The same, at times, can be argued about RJ Davis. Does that extra year take them to the next level?
Finally, keep an eye on some of those early inevitable neutral site tournaments where players make a name for themselves. After all, you never know when a few candidates will pop up out of nowhere. Ryan Nembhard from Gonzaga and Liam McNeeley could be on the radar too.
NCAA basketball online betting sites to look at will know no bounds this season. Explore everywhere because coming soon, we will have the games to pick for NCAA Basketball.
Enjoy pouring through these numbers and good luck.
Chris Wassel is someone who has covered a little bit of everything: business, writing, sports, food, grilling, the Olympics, injuries, politics, and more. He has climbed mountains like Mount Washington and Mount San Jacinto in Palm Springs, California, and for those who don’t know, he is also big into food challenges. With friends like Joey Chestnut and Casey Webb, Chris has tackled eating feats like finishing a 16-pound turkey or a 32-inch meat lover's pizza. Since 2013, he has focused on fitness, fishing, and sports while managing to fit in running, hiking, rock climbing, and even the occasional mini-triathlon. He can lift more than his body weight with ease and is the person you turn to when you want to know if a NASCAR rain delay means a Monday race. Over his career, Chris has worked at places like Amazon, USA Today, and various rumors and fantasy sports sites. He has been nominated for awards such as the Fantasy Sports Writers Association's Hockey Writer of the Year and has a collection of high-stakes fantasy trophies and rings on display at home. With all this, Chris sums it up best with his motto: "Shut up and play."