2025 Wooden Award Odds: Braden Smith Favored; Dybantsa Fourth
The Wooden Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's college basketball player.
Duke's Cooper Flagg won the honor this past season, but now that he has taken his talents to the NBA , who's next?
The betting odds usually help identify the early contenders.
Let's check out the early odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of July 3.
2025-26 John Wooden Award odds
Braden Smith, Purdue +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
JT Toppin, Texas Tech +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
AJ Dybantsa, BYU: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
Trey Kaufman-Renn, Purdue: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)
Darryn Peterson, Kansas: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Darrion Williams, NC State: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Solo Ball, UConn: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Otega Oweh, Kentucky: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Donovan Dent, UCLA: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
The 2025-26 college basketball season is set to kick off in early November.
Leading the odds is Purdue's Braden Smith at +500, followed closely by Texas Tech's JT Toppin at +750.
Smith, entering his fourth season as a Boilermaker, had his best season in 2024.
The Big Ten Player of the Year compiled 567 points, 313 assists, 162 rebounds and 78 steals in his last season, becoming the only player in NCAA history to record at least 500 points, 300 assists, 150 rebounds and 75 steals in a single season.
Smith was a finalist for both the Wooden Award and the Naismith Trophy in 2024.
Behind him is Toppin, the 2024 Big 12 Player of the Year. Toppin led the Red Raiders with averages of 18.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 19 double-doubles last season. The 6-foot-9 forward also helped lead Texas Tech to the Elite Eight.
In terms of fabulous freshman on the list, BYU's AJ Dybantsa (+1200) and Kansas' Darryn Peterson (+2000) are among the top-ranked NBA prospects heading to the college ranks. Both are favored to potentially be next year's No. 1 pick.
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
recommended
Get more from College Basketball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Bronny James, Dalton Knecht ready for second summer with Lakers
Guard Dalton Knecht enters his second summer with the Lakers, who open play on Saturday in the California Classic at Chase Center in San Francisco. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) Bronny James stood with his back to the wall with both hands buried in his workout shorts, his practice with the Lakers summer league team complete, his voice sounding more confident now that he's entering his second season in the NBA. He had to endure the outsized pressure and criticism of playing last season with his superstar father, LeBron James, a season in which Bronny and his dad made history by becoming the first father-son duo to play together in an NBA game. Advertisement Now, Bronny is more assured about his talents and he'll get to showcase what he's worked on when the Lakers play the Golden State Warriors in the California Classic on Saturday in San Francisco. The Lakers will play three games there and then head to Las Vegas for the NBA Summer League. That is where the most anticipated summer game could take place because the Lakers open the action against Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in the June draft, and the Dallas Mavericks on July 10. Like all last season, James knows a lot of people will pay attention to that game — to him, still, and to Flagg. Read more: Hernández: Can LeBron James help maddening Deandre Ayton transform into a reliable center? Advertisement 'Last year it was a crazy environment for me to step in and produce right off the rip, like being nervous too,' Bronny said. 'So, I feel like this year, I'll be able to go out and play freely and know what I'm gonna go out and do for me and my teammates. So, yeah, I'm just really excited to be able to play nervous-free.' Dalton Knecht got some extra shots up after practice Wednesday, his stroke looking just as impressive as it did last season when he shot 37.6% from three-point range during his rookie season with the Lakers. Knecht, too, is especially looking forward to playing in Las Vegas. 'Vegas, I mean, I feel like all of us didn't care who we played [last summer],' Knecht said. 'It was just go out there and play. Our fans always show up. We go out there all the time and it's pretty much Laker fans that sell out that arena and show us so much love. We're just trying to go out there and try to put on a show no matter who we are playing.' Advertisement Lakers rookie Adou Thiero, their second-round pick (36th overall) out of Arkansas whom they acquired in a trade with the Timberwolves, is dealing with a left knee injury and will not play this summer. The Lakers said Thiero is in the final stages of his return to play and expected to be fully cleared for training camp. For James, one year of playing in the NBA has made a difference as he approaches this summer. He appeared in 27 games last season, starting once, and averaged 2.3 points per game on 31.3% shooting, 28.1% from three-point range. 'Yeah, it's definitely some more excitement than nervousness, for sure,' James said. 'I'm just ready to go out there and play and be better than I was the last time I was playing. Just having that mindset of being ready to play and ready for whatever's thrown at me, no matter the role, what I gotta do on defense, offense, everything. Being a good teammate for my new summer league team, stuff like that.' Advertisement Besides skill work, James said his plan for the summer is to be in 'elite condition' and to 'be disruptive on the defensive end.' 'So that's my main focus, probably why I'm getting a little leaner,' he said. 'But I still got 215 [pounds] on me still. So, I'm just running a lot, getting a lot of conditioning in. And then just staying on top of my diet, eating healthy, being a professional. It's just Year 2, so I gotta lock in on the things that I didn't know before my rookie year and being better and excel with that. Yeah, my main focus is this year, or this summer, has been being in elite condition. That's what I've been talking to my coaches about.' Knecht played in 78 games last season, averaging 9.1 points over 19.2 minutes per game. As the season progressed, Knecht said the game slowed down for him and that allowed him to improve. Advertisement When the Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs by the Timberwolves, Knecht said he went to work right away. In his eyes, there was no time to waste. 'Right after the [playoff] loss, I pretty much started right away. Didn't take much time off,' he said. 'So I was getting in the gym, starting at 6 a.m., going with the guys at 10 and then coming back later at night just to get as many shots as I can, just working on my game and my cuts.' Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
Bronny James, Dalton Knecht ready for second summer with Lakers
Bronny James stood with his back to the wall with both hands buried in his workout shorts, his practice with the Lakers summer league team complete, his voice sounding more confident now that he's entering his second season in the NBA. He had to endure the outsized pressure and criticism of playing last season with his superstar father, LeBron James, a season in which Bronny and his dad made history by becoming the first father-son duo to play together in an NBA game. Now, Bronny is more assured about his talents and he'll get to showcase what he's worked on when the Lakers play the Golden State Warriors in the California Classic on Saturday in San Francisco. The Lakers will play three games there and then head to Las Vegas for the NBA Summer League. That is where the most anticipated summer game could take place because the Lakers open the action against Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in the June draft, and the Dallas Mavericks on July 10. Like all last season, James knows a lot of people will pay attention to that game — to him, still, and to Flagg. 'Last year it was a crazy environment for me to step in and produce right off the rip, like being nervous too,' Bronny said. 'So, I feel like this year, I'll be able to go out and play freely and know what I'm gonna go out and do for me and my teammates. So, yeah, I'm just really excited to be able to play nervous-free.' Dalton Knecht got some extra shots up after practice Wednesday, his stroke looking just as impressive as it did last season when he shot 37.6% from three-point range during his rookie season with the Lakers. Knecht, too, is especially looking forward to playing in Las Vegas. 'Vegas, I mean, I feel like all of us didn't care who we played [last summer],' Knecht said. 'It was just go out there and play. Our fans always show up. We go out there all the time and it's pretty much Laker fans that sell out that arena and show us so much love. We're just trying to go out there and try to put on a show no matter who we are playing.' Lakers rookie Adou Thiero, their second-round pick (36th overall) out of Arkansas whom they acquired in a trade with the Timberwolves, is dealing with a left knee injury and will not play this summer. The Lakers said Thiero is in the final stages of his return to play and expected to be fully cleared for training camp. For James, one year of playing in the NBA has made a difference as he approaches this summer. He appeared in 27 games last season, starting once, and averaged 2.3 points per game on 31.3% shooting, 28.1% from three-point range. 'Yeah, it's definitely some more excitement than nervousness, for sure,' James said. 'I'm just ready to go out there and play and be better than I was the last time I was playing. Just having that mindset of being ready to play and ready for whatever's thrown at me, no matter the role, what I gotta do on defense, offense, everything. Being a good teammate for my new summer league team, stuff like that.' Besides skill work, James said his plan for the summer is to be in 'elite condition' and to 'be disruptive on the defensive end.' 'So that's my main focus, probably why I'm getting a little leaner,' he said. 'But I still got 215 [pounds] on me still. So, I'm just running a lot, getting a lot of conditioning in. And then just staying on top of my diet, eating healthy, being a professional. It's just Year 2, so I gotta lock in on the things that I didn't know before my rookie year and being better and excel with that. Yeah, my main focus is this year, or this summer, has been being in elite condition. That's what I've been talking to my coaches about.' Knecht played in 78 games last season, averaging 9.1 points over 19.2 minutes per game. As the season progressed, Knecht said the game slowed down for him and that allowed him to improve. When the Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs by the Timberwolves, Knecht said he went to work right away. In his eyes, there was no time to waste. 'Right after the [playoff] loss, I pretty much started right away. Didn't take much time off,' he said. 'So I was getting in the gym, starting at 6 a.m., going with the guys at 10 and then coming back later at night just to get as many shots as I can, just working on my game and my cuts.'
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Why The Phoenix Suns Can't Just Waive-And-Stretch Bradley Beal's Contract
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 08: Bradley Beal #3 of the Phoenix Suns during the NBA game at PHX Arena on ... More April 08, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by)On Tuesday, the Milwaukee Bucks made the shocking decision to waive and stretch the remaining two years and $112.6 million on the contract of All-Star point guard Damian Lillard. They did so to create enough salary-cap space to sign former Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner to a four-year, $107 million contract in free agency, although they'll now have a dead cap hit of roughly $22.5 million for Lillard in each of the next five seasons. As soon as the Bucks did that with Lillard, attention quickly turned to the Bradley Beal and the Phoenix Suns, who've been mired in their own standoff for the past six months. The Suns shopped Beal ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline, according to multiple reports, but they couldn't find any takers for the two years and roughly $110.8 million that he has left on his contract. Even if they did, he could have scuttled any trade courtesy of the no-trade clause he possesses in his contract. That has the Suns considering other options. On Thursday, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic reported they "have been discussing a possible buyout" for Beal. However, he would forfeit his no-trade clause if he agrees to a buyout, which might make him reluctant to do so. "Brad worked really hard to earn a no-trade clause. We earned it and we have it—and it is really valuable," Beal's agent, Mark Bartelstein, told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne in January. "Does that mean that he would never, ever accept a trade? No. You always have an open mind and you always are willing to listen to things that you think might be great." The Suns could always outright waive Beal and eat his salary as dead cap hits for the next two seasons, although there's no real reason for them to do that. If they're going to pay him that amount of money, they might as well keep him around if only to dangle as an expiring contract next summer. Unless he does agree to give some money back in a buyout, though, the Suns aren't allowed to go the same waive-and-stretch route as the Bucks did with Lillard. The 15% Rule The NBA's latest collective bargaining agreement allows teams to stretch out the dead cap hits they incur from waiving players, although there are limits on how much they're allowed to do in a given season. That's where the Suns run into trouble. Teams aren't allowed to stretch a player's contract—i.e., spread the cap hits across twice as many seasons as they have left on their deal, plus one—if they would end up with dead cap hits worth more than 15% of the salary cap on their books. The salary cap landed at $154,647,000 this year, which means the Suns couldn't have more than $23,197,050 in dead salary. The Suns already waive-and-stretched Nassir Little ($3.1 million) and E.J. Liddell ($707,000) ahead of last season, which leaves them starting out with roughly $3.8 million in dead salary. At most, Beal could count as roughly $19.4 million against their cap this year after agreeing to a buyout. The Suns would be left with that same dead cap hit across each of the next five seasons. The problem is there's a roughly $13.9 million gap between the most that the Suns are allowed to stretch in total over the next half-decade and what Beal is set to earn this year and next. He could always decide that the freedom to choose his next team is worth the price of giving up $14 million, especially if he stands to make up some of that difference with his new team, but money is quickly drying up around the league. According to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, both the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat would have interest in signing Beal if he gets bought out. The Bucks appear to have used a portion of their $8.8 million room mid-level exception to re-sign Kevin Porter Jr., although the Miami Heat haven't touched their $14.1 million non-taxpayer MLE. Beal might be more amenable to a buyout if his next team offers him anywhere close to however much money he decides to give up. Suns Impact Buying out Beal could be a much-needed lifeline for the Suns, who've been stuck in second-apron purgatory for the past two years. They're currently $12.5 million over the second apron and $24.4 million over the first apron, so they would dip under both with a Beal buyout. In fact, there's a chance they could even stay under the $187.9 million luxury-tax line, which would get them one step closer to resetting the clock on the punishing repeater tax. (They're about $30.9 million over it as of now.) If the Suns did manage to duck the tax this year by buying out Beal and stretching his remaining salary, it would save them upward of $230 million, according to salary-cap analyst Yossi Gozlan. There's just one problem: Beal reportedly doesn't want to leave Phoenix. "Beal would be open to the right trade that sends him the right destination, but his preference is to remain in Phoenix, even if the team won only 35 games a season ago and just downgraded from Kevin Durant, who it dealt to the Houston Rockets last weekend," Fred Katz of The Athletic wrote at the end of June. "Since leaving Washington in 2023, Beal's wife and kids have moved from D.C. to Los Angeles and then, before the start of this season, to Phoenix full time. Playing for another team would leave him with two options: He would have to either pull his kids out of school, moving them again, or leave his family altogether, neither of which excites him." Former Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer shifted Beal to the bench in January after he started each of his 501 regular-season games over the previous eight seasons. That led to some speculation about whether the Suns were trying to convince him to waive his no-trade clause ahead of the deadline. Beal didn't cause too much of a scene about it publicly, although he did make it known that he disagreed with Budenholzer's decision, telling reporters, "I'm a starter in the league. I firmly believe that. No disrespect to anybody, but I'm a starter. The Suns landed Jalen Green from the Houston Rockets as part of their return package for Kevin Durant this offseason, which leaves them with an awkward glut of 2-guards between him, Beal and franchise cornerstone Devin Booker. Beal once again figures to come off the bench if he remains in Phoenix, which could serve as further incentive to pursue a buyout and then sign with a team where he could play more minutes. Given the financial implications of escaping from Beal's contract, the Suns figure to turn over every stone this offseason. Unfortunately, their decision to waive-and-stretch both Little and Liddell last year came back to bite them, as they now have to rely on Beal giving back nearly $14 million to even put a waive-and-stretch on the table as an option. Unless otherwise noted, all stats via PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM. All odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. Follow Bryan on Bluesky.
