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Drew Timme Opens as Wooden Award Favorite; Duke’s Banchero Second

Sascha Paruk

by Sascha Paruk in College Basketball

Updated Nov 16, 2021 · 8:38 AM PST

Gonzaga forward Drew Timme dribbling
Gonzaga forward Drew Timme controls the ball during the second half of a college basketball exhibition game against Lewis-Clark State, Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)
  • The first iteration of the 2021-22 Wooden Award odds for most-outstanding player in men’s college basketball have been released
  • Gonzaga’s Drew Timme is favored; is he good value at +450?
  • See the odds for all the legit contenders

Gonzaga forward Drew Timme will be looking to repeat a rare feat accomplished by Iowa’s Luka Garza just last season: win the Wooden Award after opening as the favorite.

2022 Wooden Award Odds

Player Odds
Drew Timme (Gonzaga) +450
Paolo Banchero (Duke) +750
Johnny Juzang (UCLA) +900
Collin Gillespie (Villanova) +1200
Hunter Dickinson (Michigan) +1200
Kofi Cockburn (Illinois) +1200
EJ Liddell (Ohio State) +1400
Ochai Agbaji (Kansas) +1400
Jaden Ivey (Purdue) +2000
Max Abmas (Oral Roberts) +2000
Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana) +2000
Andre Curbelo (Illinois) +2000
Jahvon Quinerly (Alabama) +2500
Trevion Williams (Purdue) +2500
Emoni Bates (Memphis) +3000
Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga) +3000
Armando Bacot (North Carolina) +3500
Buddy Boeheim (Syracuse) +3500
Trevor Keels (Duke) +3500

Odds as of November 16th, 2021.

Timme Starts Strong

The junior out of Richardson, TX, started the season with a statement. In Gonzaga’s only real test so far, Timme racked up a career-high 37 points in 38 minutes against #5 Texas, leading the Zags to a convincing 86-74 win. He also added seven rebounds and three assists.

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Gonzaga, 3-0, has played overmatched opponents in its other two games to date. They opened the year with a 97-63 win over Dixie State (rated 297th at KenPom). Their most recent contest was an 84-57 win over Alcorn State (rated 332nd at KenPom). Timme only played 19 and 21 minutes in those games, respectively, scoring 21 total points.

Banchero Has the Spotlight

While Duke hasn’t made a Final Four since 2015, there’s no denying that they still garner the most media attention of any team in the nation. This year, Mike Krzyzewski’s last on the bench, will receive that much extra.

A 6’10 freshman, Banchero was ESPN’s #4-ranked recruit in the class of 2021. He has put together a extremely impressive opening week. In his first college action, he dropped a team-high 22 points on #10 Kentucky during a 79-71 win.

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He followed up with 18 points and 12 rebounds against Army and 18 points and seven boards against Campbell, both convincing Blue Devil victories.

Dickinson Might Deserve More Respect

Michigan center Hunter Dickinson put his name in the NBA draft following a standout freshman season. When scouts told him he needed to improve his perimeter shooting, he withdrew and came back for a sophomore year with the Wolverines.

Dickinson averaged 14.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game last season (both team-high marks) on a fairly balanced Michigan squad. With no Isaiah Livers or Franz Wagner – the second and third-leading scorers last season – more of the offense will run through the big man.

This has been in evidence in Michigan’s first two games. Dickinson is averaging 19.0 points and, perhaps more importantly, 12.5 field-goal attempts per game (compared to 9.3 last year).

Expect Dickinson’s current +1200 odds to shorten in the coming weeks.

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