Garza, Cunningham, Suggs headline 15-player ballot for Wooden Award
The Los Angeles Athletic Club unveiled its national ballot for the 2021 John R. Wooden Award on Saturday, with 15 players from 10 different schools up for consideration this year.
| Player | School | Conf. | Year | Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jared Butler | Baylor | Big 12 | Junior | G |
| Corey Kispert | Gonzaga | WCC | Senior | F |
| Jalen Suggs | Gonzaga | WCC | Freshman | G |
| Drew Timme | Gonzaga | WCC | Sophomore | F |
| Kofi Cockburn | Illinois | Big Ten | Sophomore | C |
| Ayo Dosunmu | Illinois | Big Ten | Junior | G |
| Trayce Jackson-Davis | Indiana | Big Ten | Sophomore | F |
| Luka Garza | Iowa | Big Ten | Senior | C |
| Hunter Dickinson | Michigan | Big Ten | Freshman | C |
| E.J. Liddell | Ohio State | Big Ten | Sophomore | F |
| Cade Cunningham | Oklahoma State | Big 12 | Freshman | G |
| Evan Mobley | USC | Pac-12 | Freshman | F |
| Collin Gillespie | Villanova | Big East | Senior | G |
| Jeremiah Robinson-Earl | Villanova | Big East | Sophomore | F |
| Charles Bassey | Western Kentucky | Conference USA | Junior | C |
Top-ranked Gonzaga has the most candidates with three, including Corey Kispert, Jalen Suggs, and Drew Timme. Illinois and Villanova received two nominations apiece, though Wildcats senior Collin Gillespie will miss the rest of the season due to a torn MCL.
Iowa big man Luka Garza is the lone member of the ballot previously named as a finalist. He finished runner-up in 2020 to Obi Toppin.
Voting for the award is scheduled for March 15-22. It'll factor in a player's entire season to that point, including the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
A trimmed-down list of finalists will be revealed March 26. The Player of the Year is traditionally announced in April.