The race for college basketball’s most prestigious trophy has officially hit high gear. Honestly, it’s about time. We are deep into the 50th anniversary season of the award, and the Los Angeles Athletic Club just dropped the Midseason Top 25 Watch List. If you’ve been following the madness since November, you know the preseason list was a massive net of 50 names. Now, the field is tightening.
It’s personal this year. We’re moving past the era of Zach Edey’s dominance, looking for the next face of the game. The current nominations for John R Wooden Award highlight a fascinating mix of "super-seniors" who’ve been around forever and a group of freshmen so talented they’re basically playing a different sport.
The Men’s Midseason Frontrunners
The January 7 update really cleared the deck. We went from 50 names down to 25. If your favorite player didn’t make this cut, don't panic—they can still technically be added to the Late Season Top 20 or the National Ballot in March. But let's be real: the winner is almost certainly on this list right now.
Braden Smith from Purdue is the name everyone is circling. After Zach Edey left for the NBA, people wondered if the Boilermakers would fall off a cliff. Nope. Smith is a senior now, and he’s playing like a guy who’s tired of being the underdog. He’s the engine. He’s the one keeping Purdue in the top ten while averaging double-digit assists some nights.
Then you’ve got the freshmen. Cameron Boozer at Duke is living up to every bit of the hype. It’s almost scary how polished he is for his age. He’s currently sitting with -220 odds on some sportsbooks, which is wild for a kid who hasn't even finished his first year of college. He’s being chased by AJ Dybantsa over at BYU. Dybantsa is a human highlight reel. He recently put up the second 30/10/10 triple-double in Big 12 history against Eastern Washington. You don't just "luck" into a stat line like that.
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A New Era of Dominance in the Big 12 and Beyond
The Big 12 is basically a gauntlet this year. Look at Joshua Jefferson at Iowa State or JT Toppin at Texas Tech. Toppin specifically has been a monster on the boards. He’s one of those guys who doesn't need a play called for him to impact the game. He just finds the ball.
Arizona is also flexin' right now. They’ve got two guys on the midseason list: Jaden Bradley and Koa Peat. Bradley is a senior leader, shooting over 54% from the three-point line, which is just stupidly efficient. Peat, another freshman, dropped 30 points in his season opener against Florida. Having two Wooden-caliber players on one roster is usually a recipe for a Final Four run.
Over in the WCC, Graham Ike at Gonzaga is doing "grown man" things. He’s the nation's active leading scorer with over 2,200 career points. He’s one of the few players in history to pair that with over 1,000 rebounds. If the Wooden Award is about career excellence mixed with a dominant final season, Ike has a very strong case.
The Women’s Watch: Stars Are Everywhere
The women's side is just as stacked, though their midseason list operates on a slightly different timeline. The preseason Top 50 was a "who’s who" of talent.
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Lauren Betts at UCLA is a literal wall. At 6'7", she changes every single shot that comes near the paint. UCLA is actually one of the few schools with four players on the watch list, including her sister Sienna Betts and Kiki Rice.
But you can't talk about the current nominations for John R Wooden Award without mentioning Sarah Strong at UConn. She’s only a sophomore, but she’s playing with the poise of a fifth-year pro. She’s got those +1000 odds that make bettors nervous because she could easily go on a tear in February and sweep the voting. And don't sleep on Audi Crooks at Iowa State. She’s become a cult hero for a reason—she’s unstoppable on the block.
How the Winner is Actually Chosen
It's not just about points. Coach Wooden was famously obsessed with the "student" part of student-athlete. To even stay on this list, players have to maintain at least a 2.0 GPA. They also have to be making "progress toward graduation."
The final voting happens after the regular season but before the heart of the NCAA tournament. A panel of nearly 1,000 sports media members casts their ballots. They aren't just looking at the box score; they’re looking at character, team contribution, and how a player performs when the lights are brightest.
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The winners get their moment in the sun on April 10, 2026, at the Los Angeles Athletic Club. It’s the 50th anniversary, so expect a lot of legends like Marques Johnson to be in the building.
What to Watch for Next
If you’re trying to track this like a pro, keep an eye on the "Late Season" list. That usually comes out in February and trims the field even more.
- Watch the Big Games: Matchups between Top 25 teams are basically "auditions" for Wooden voters.
- Check the Efficiency: Voters are moving away from raw PPG. They want to see high shooting percentages and low turnovers.
- Freshman Fatigue: Watch if guys like Boozer or Dybantsa hit the "freshman wall" in February. If they do, veterans like Braden Smith or Graham Ike will sprint past them.
The 2026 season is proving that the talent pool in college hoops is deeper than it’s been in a decade. Whether it’s a senior finally getting his due or a freshman phenom taking the world by storm, the next few weeks of conference play will decide who actually takes home the hardware.
Keep a close eye on the injury reports and the strength of schedule. A bad week in February can knock a player off the ballot entirely. Conversely, a legendary performance in a rivalry game—like Dybantsa against Utah or Boozer against UNC—can seal the deal.
Follow the conference standings closely. Usually, the Wooden Award winner comes from a team that finishes in the top two or three of their league. It’s hard to be the "Most Outstanding Player" if your team is hovering around .500. Watch the Big 12 and the Big Ten specifically, as they currently hold the most "stock" on the midseason list.