2015 Wooden Award: Winning Odds After Final 15 Players Announced

The 15 finalists have been announced for college basketball's most prestigious individual honor, the John R. Wooden Award. One last cutdown to five players will happen March 30, before the winner is announced April 10.

Until then, those still in the running have a few more opportunities to impress the voting block, which will make its choices between March 16-23. Based on where things stand now, though, the odds for some finalists to claim some hardware are far better than others.

Traditionally, the Wooden Award goes to the best player on one of the best teams in the country, though 2014 winner Doug McDermott of Creighton performed so much better than any other individual that his team failing to make it past the first weekend of the NCAA tournament didn't factor much in the voting. Of the 15 finalists this year, one is on a team that won't make the postseason and another is one a team sitting on the bubble. The rankings are also based on both statistics and the overall impact the player has on his team. 

Scroll through to see how we handicap the Wooden race.

Ron Baker, Wichita State

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Wichita State has established itself as one of the elite programs in the country, transcending from mid-major status to a national power over the past three seasons. That ascension has also included recognition for its top players, as Ron Baker is the second straight Shocker to make the final 15.

Baker, a 6'3" junior guard, leads Wichita in scoring at 15.0 points per game and is hitting 39.4 percent of his three-pointers. He's the unquestioned leader of the team, both in terms of performance and on-court presence.

If this were last season, Baker's chances at winning the Wooden would be much better. The field is too stacked this year, and after Wichita lost to Illinois State in the Missouri Valley Conference semifinals on Saturday, he'd have to explode during the first weekend of the NCAA tourney to make enough of an impression.

Odds: 100-1

Tyler Haws, BYU

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Tyler Haws became BYU's all-time scoring leader this season, passing Jimmer Fredette with more than 2,600 points. He'll need to surpass what Fredette was able to do for the Cougars in the postseason, though, in order to have a shot at being player of the year.

BYU entered this weekend's West Coast Conference tournament in Las Vegas as the last team into the NCAA tournament field, according to Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller, the result of winning six straight (including an upset of Gonzaga on Feb. 28). The Cougars probably would need to at least make the WCC final, if not win it, to strengthen their chances of getting into the Big Dance.

Haws is BYU's top scorer, at 22.2 points per game, but the 6'5" senior guard is not even its best all-around player. That would go to junior guard Kyle Collinsworth, who averages 13.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game and set the NCAA single-season record with five triple-doubles.

Odds: 90-1

Seth Tuttle, Northern Iowa

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Seeing Seth Tuttle's name among the 15 finalists was a win for the little guys, as well as for those who were well aware of Tuttle's exploits long before Northern Iowa rose to No. 10 in the rankings last month. But while Tuttle's play is a huge factor in the Panthers' making their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2010, his Wooden ceiling has been reached.

The 6'8" senior forward leads UNI in scoring (15.3), rebounding (6.7) and assists (3.3), and he makes an astounding 62.3 percent of his shots—that includes the occasional three-pointer. He's also a big part of the Panthers' defense, which has them in Sunday's Missouri Valley Conference final against Illinois State. 

Tuttle is the kind of player who can lead his team on a nice NCAA tourney run, but for him to be the national player of the year isn't plausible.

Odds: 80-1

Rakeem Christmas, Syracuse

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If this were an award given to the nation's most improved player, Rakeem Christmas might be the runaway favorite. Instead, he's just a very good player on an okay team that—because of NCAA infractions—saw its season end Saturday with a 71-57 loss at North Carolina State.

Christmas led Syracuse in scoring (17.5), rebounding (9.1) and blocked shots (2.5), each of those averages being career bests for the 6'9" senior forward. After freshman forward Chris McCullough went down with a season-ending knee injury in January, Christmas became especially huge, posting nine double-doubles in ACC play.

"In the blink of an eye, Christmas went from a raw freshman, who averaged less than three points a game, to a senior who was indispensable," wrote Mike Waters of Syracuse.com.

As great as Christmas played this year, a lack of postseason results will likely impact his chances. Syracuse self-imposed an ACC and NCAA tournament ban in advance of further penalties that were handed down by the NCAA on Friday, so Christmas' season (and college career) is over after he had 15 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks against N.C. State.

Odds: 70-1

Buddy Hield, Oklahoma

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Buddy Hield is having a second straight standout year for Oklahoma. The 6'4" junior is a big reason the Sooners went into the final week of the regular season with a chance to claim a share of the Big 12 title.

Hield leads the conference in scoring (17.4 points per game) while also snagging 5.5 rebounds and hitting 38 percent of his three-pointers. In league play, Hield's 18.5 points per game is two points better any other Big 12 player.

While he has a shot at Big 12 Player of the Year, especially after his tip-in at the buzzer helped Oklahoma beat regular-season champion Kansas on Saturday, it will be tough for Hield to surpass what players from other conferences have done—unless he goes off in the next two weeks. Leading the Sooners to a title in the conference tournament would be a start.

Odds: 60-1

Georges Niang, Iowa State

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For the second year in a row, Georges Niang is the most integral piece of an Iowa State team that has a lot of great players. His broken foot suffered early in the 2014 NCAA tournament derailed the Cyclones' hopes last year, and if they're going to make a run this month, it will be because of what Niang does.

The 6'8" junior forward leads Iowa State in scoring (15.2) and is second in both rebounds (5.4) and assists (3.4). He's vastly improved his outside shooting, going from 32.7 percent last year to 41.2 this season.

What hurts Niang's hopes more than anything is the Cyclones' overall performance, as they lost twice at the end of February to fall out of the Big 12 title race but still ended up tying for second place.

Odds: 50-1

Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia

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Malcolm Brogdon will go down in history as one of Virginia's best players ever, helping the Cavaliers to their most impressive two-year run since the 1980s. He's had to pick up the slack for injured teammates, and while his numbers aren't as impressive as other finalists, Brogdon has made up for it with hard-nosed play and lockdown defense.

The 6'5" junior is averaging a team-best 13.7 points per game, which accounts for more than 20 percent of the Cavaliers' scoring. On Saturday, he had 16 of his team-high 17 in the second half of Virginia's 59-57 loss at Louisville.

What hurts Brogdon's case for player of the year contention, though, is that Virginia's run this year (as well as in 2013-14) has been the product of team effort rather than individual play. While he's stood out from the pack, it hasn't been enough to elevate him in this discussion.

Odds: 40-1

Delon Wright, Utah

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Utah has been one of the breakout teams in Division I this season, as the Utes challenged Arizona for the Pac-12 title before slumping a bit down the stretch. Delon Wright was the pacesetter for the Utes, doing so with a diverse skill set that made him his team's best weapon.

The 6'5" senior guard is averaging a team-high 14.7 points per game to go along with 5.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 52.2 percent shooting from the field. He also had 63 steals and 29 blocks, getting himself involved all over the court.

But Utah has slipped recently, losing three times in its last five games, which has sullied the Utes' postseason chances and made Wright's odds of winning the Wooden much lower than they would've been a month ago.

Odds: 35-1

Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga

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There's no doubt that Kyle Wiltjer has been the most impactful transfer in the country this year. Following a move from Kentucky, he has led Gonzaga in scoring and in pushing for a No. 1 seed. If he can continue that play during the postseason, he could give the Wooden front-runners a serious challenge.

The 6'10" junior forward has turned himself into more than just the shooter he was with Kentucky as a freshman in 2012-13. This season, he's scoring 16.6 points per game, and while that includes 55 three-pointers, he's getting far more of his points in the paint and at the line. Wiltjer is shooting 53.3 percent overall and 44.7 from the three-point line, quickly asserting himself as the go-to player on a talented Bulldogs roster that features quality players in the post and on the perimeter.

Wiltjer hasn't received the exposure that past standout Gonzaga players have, but if he pushes the Bulldogs to their first Final Four, that is likely to change.

Odds: 30-1

D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State

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If the Wooden Award is strictly an MVP award, then D'Angelo Russell has a great shot to win it in his first (and possibly only) college season. Without him, Ohio State would be lucky to finish above .500 this year.

The 6'5" guard is averaging 19.3 points per game, nearly twice as much as the Buckeyes' second-leading scorer. He's also the team's top rebounder (5.8) and is second on the team in assists, at 5.2 per night. Simply put, he has his hands on nearly every ball that goes up, comes down or gets passed around.

Russell is a 43.2 percent three-point shooter and is coming off back-to-back 28-point games. He gets the chance to go toe-to-toe with presumptive Big Ten Player of the Year Frank Kaminsky in Sunday's regular-season finale, and if he can outshine the senior big man, that could help his chances to get some national accolades.

Odds: 25-1

Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky

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Kentucky's pursuit of perfection has been as much about the sum of its parts as any individual piece, yet Willie Cauley-Stein has served as the driving force for much of the season. His numbers won't show this because the Wildcats have no player averaging more than 25.8 minutes or 11.2 points per game, but few fill up the box score as much as he does.

The 7'0" junior forward is fourth on the team in scoring at 8.9 points per game, and his rebounding (6.4) is good for second. Cauley-Stein also has 49 blocks and 40 steals, an unheard-of combination for a big man, and he's shooting 58.8 percent from the field.

Cauley-Stein has struggled over the last few weeks, though, as some of Kentucky's younger players have started to assert themselves as the go-to scorers. He's still the glue and the veteran presence, but even if the Wildcats remain unbeaten, it will be hard for him to stand out as the best individual player on a team full of stars.

Odds: 20-1

Jerian Grant, Notre Dame

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When Jerian Grant was suspended for the remainder of his junior year because of academics, Notre Dame's season fell apart. This season, we've seen what the Fighting Irish might have been able to do in 2013-14 had Grant been available, as he's having a career year.

The 6'5" senior guard is averaging 16.8 points and 6.7 assists per game while shooting 49.4 percent. He's eighth nationally in assists per game, helping Notre Dame rank second in Division I in shooting and finish third in the ACC after having a losing record last season.

Grant has seen his scoring slip in the past few weeks, but he continues to be a part of the offense with great passing and a strong 3.23-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. If he can get more points on the board down the stretch and push the Irish to their first Sweet 16 since 2003, he'll have a shot at stealing the Wooden Award.

Odds: 12-1

Bobby Portis, Arkansas

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Arkansas' rise to become the second-best team in the SEC and a legitimate threat in the upcoming NCAA tournament is due mostly to the work of Bobby Portis, who very easily could have been a one-and-done player but has improved his game so much with a second year of college.

The 6'11" sophomore has taken himself to another level as the season has hit the home stretch, with Saturday's 21-point, 15-rebound effort in a loss to LSU giving him 11 double-doubles this year. Portis leads the Razorbacks in scoring (17.8) and rebounds (8.7) while shooting 56.3 percent from the field.

Arkansas goes deep into its bench and uses constant pressure and a frenetic pace to win games, but in the postseason, a push toward a slower tempo might be necessary. While Portis has excelled in the aforementioned system, he could be even more valuable in half-court sets, so that change could move him up the Wooden rankings.

Odds: 10-1

Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin

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Since Frank Kaminsky broke through as Wisconsin's star last season, all eyes in the Midwest have been on what he's been able to accomplish as one of the best true 7-footers in college basketball in recent memory. He's been even better as a senior and has put the Badgers in position to make another Final Four run.

Kaminsky leads Wisconsin in scoring (18.4) and rebounding (8.2), and he's second in assists (2.6) while shooting 55.4 percent from the field. Deadly from anywhere on the court, Kaminsky has hit 32 three-pointers and is shooting 42.1 percent from beyond the arc.

"I personally think he's the Wooden winner," Minnesota coach Richard Pitino said following Wisconsin's win Thursday at the Golden Gophers, per the Badgers' Twitter account. "He's just a great, great player."

He's a shoo-in for Big Ten Player of the Year, and Kaminsky is also probably the best competition that Duke's Jahlil Okafor has for the national award. A lot will depend on how each plays over these final two weeks, and if either player sees his team slip early in the NCAA tournament, it could put the other over the top.

Odds: 3-1

Jahlil Okafor, Duke

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If we voted now, Duke freshman Okafor would be the Wooden Award winner. A top choice of many experts to win the award before he ever played a college game, the 6'11" center has more than lived up to the hype and might go down as one of the greatest college players in history. The fact he's almost assured of leaving school after one year keeps him from cementing that distinction, but he's the odds-on favorite to win this trophy in April.

Okafor leads Duke in scoring (17.6), rebounding (9.2), blocks (41) and field-goal shooting (66.7 percent), with that last statistic ranking him second in the nation among qualified players. His only statistical deficiency comes at the foul line, where he's shooting just 52.4 percent.

But Okafor's numbers only tell part of the story. His post moves are already at an NBA level, and most teams have crafted their entire defense around either denying him the ball or instantly doubling him in the post. He's responded by either passing out of the double to an open shooter or splitting the defense for an easy bucket inside.

While some conferences are discussing trying to make freshmen ineligible, the best player in the country this season comes from that class.

Odds: 2-1

NOTE: Statistics are through games of Friday, March 7, unless otherwise noted.

Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.