Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, RJ Barrett Among 2019 Wooden Award Finalists

Duke Blue Devils stars Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett headline the list of finalists for the 2019 John R. Wooden Award, given to the most outstanding college basketball player.

The full list also includes Murray State star Ja Morant, per the Associated Press:

• RJ Barrett, Duke
• Brandon Clarke, Gonzaga
• Carsen Edwards, Purdue
• Rui Hachimura, Gonzaga
• Markus Howard, Marquette
• De'Andre Hunter, Virginia
• Ja Morant, Murray State
• Grant Williams, Tennessee
• Zion Williamson, Duke
• Cassius Winston, Michigan State

Barrett, Morant, Williams, Williamson and Winston have received invitations to Los Angeles for the award presentation at the College Basketball Awards on April 12.

The list of finalists is comprised of players who were named to the AP All-America squads on Tuesday. Gonzaga's Brandon Clarke and Virginia's De'Andre Hunter were the only Wooden finalists not to be a first- or second-team All-American, with each being named to the third team. Texas Tech's Jarrett Culver and Wisconsin's Ethan Happ filled out the second team.

Williamson figures to be the leading candidate after a sensational year that saw him average 22.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.8 blocks per game. Meanwhile, Duke was 29-3 with him in the lineup, winning the ACC tournament title and earning the No. 1 overall seed in the 2019 NCAA tournament.

The projected top overall pick in this year's NBA draft has already taken home a number of individual honors. He was named ACC Player and Rookie of the Year, made the All-ACC first team and took home the Wayman Tisdale Award as the nation's top freshman.

Barrett had a strong season alongside Williamson. He averaged 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per contest to earn All-ACC honors. Barrett averaged 26.2 points during a six-game stretch while Williamson was out with a knee injury.

Morant, meanwhile, was the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year while averaging 24.5 points, 10.0 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game. He led the Racers to a 28-5 record and to their first NCAA tournament victory since 2012.

He became just the eighth player since 1984 to record a triple-double in the NCAA tournament with his 17 points, 16 assists and 11 rebounds against Marquette in the first round.

Of the finalists, only Hunter and Michigan State's Cassius Winston are still playing into the Final Four.