With conference play in full swing, we’ve got a fascinating National Player of the Year race developing. A pair of sensational freshmen lead the way, but a number of upperclassmen remain in contention, including an under-the-radar star out in Ames. We also have a few new additions to our rankings since the last installment dropped in mid-December.
Below are the top 10 candidates for the Wooden Award as of Jan. 9. We’ll have another NPOY update in a couple of weeks, so stay tuned.
1. Cameron Boozer, 6-foot-9 freshman forward, Duke
Last installment: No. 1
23.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.9 steals, 58.0 FG%, 37.3 3FG%
As long as Duke keeps winning and Boozer keeps stuffing the stat sheet, the big man will remain the frontrunner for NPOY. The most impressive thing about Boozer’s season so far? He has consistently delivered in big games against ranked opponents. On Tuesday, he posted 27 points (on 10 of 12 shooting), 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals in a win over No. 20 Louisville at the Yum! Center. He currently leads the country in scoring and ranks in the top 25 in rebounding.
2. AJ Dybantsa, 6-foot-8 freshman wing, BYU
Last installment: No. 5
23.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 58.3 FG%, 35.0 3FG%
No player has been more dominant in the last month than Dybantsa, who has climbed from No. 9 to No. 2 on this list. Since Dec. 6, when he lit up Madison Square Garden in the Jimmy V Classic, the BYU star has averaged a staggering 27.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.4 steals while shooting 62.4 percent from the field and 35 percent from three. Can he keep it rolling in the Big 12? If so, the do-it-all wing could very well catch Boozer in this race.
3. Joshua Jefferson, 6-foot-9 senior forward, Iowa State
Last installment: No. 3
17.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.7 steals, 53.2 FG%, 38.5 3FG%
The most underrated star in college basketball, Jefferson does a little bit of everything for the Cyclones, who are off to their best start in program history (15-0). He leads the team in scoring and rebounding, became the first player in Big 12 history with 20 assists and zero turnovers over a two-game stretch (Syracuse and Alcorn State in late November/early December), opened conference play by recording just the ninth triple-double in Iowa State history (10 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) and pulled down a career-high 17 boards — to go with 19 points — in Wednesday’s victory over Baylor.
4. Caleb Wilson, 6-foot-10 freshman forward, North Carolina
Last installment: No. 4
19.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 blocks, 1.4 steals, 55.7 FG%
Wilson’s numbers speak for themselves. The captivating freshman leads No. 17 North Carolina in points, rebounds, blocks and steals. He already has 10 double-doubles, which ranks third nationally. In the Tar Heels’ ACC opener on Dec. 30 — a 79-66 victory over Florida State — he finished with 22 points, 16 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 blocks, becoming the first UNC player in the last 30 seasons to lead the team in all four of those categories in a single game.
5. Yaxel Lendeborg, 6-foot-9 senior forward, Michigan
Last installment: No. 2
14.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 blocks, 1.3 steals, 55.2 FG%, 34.9 3FG%
Lendeborg is only averaging 26.2 minutes per game (the fewest of any player on this list), in large part because the Wolverines have dismantled most of their opponents to date. But whenever he’s been on the floor, Hoops HQ’s No. 1-ranked transfer has shined. He won MVP of the Players Era Festival in late November, averaging 17.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.3 blocks across three outings.
6. Braden Smith, 6-foot senior guard, Purdue
Last installment: No. 9
13.3 points, 9.5 assists, 3.9 rebounds, 1.9 steals, 46.5 FG%, 39.3 3FG%
A consensus All-American and the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2024-25, Smith was the preseason favorite to claim the Wooden Award. While he has fallen from the top spot, the veteran floor general has still been one of the nation’s best players. He is the engine of the No. 1 offense in the country (per KenPom’s efficiency metrics) and the national leader in assists per game. In an 89-73 victory over Wisconsin last Saturday, Smith broke the Big Ten’s career assist record (893).
National Player of the Year Race Update: AJ Dybantsa's Leap and a Mid-Major Contender
AJ Dybantsa rises, a Gonzaga star enters the picture and Braden Smith falls. The Wooden Award race has never looked more competitive.
7. JT Toppin, 6-foot-9 junior forward, Texas Tech
Last installment: No. 6
20.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 55.9 FG%
Toppin’s greatness has become so routine that it often goes overlooked. The reigning Big 12 Player of the Year ranks in the top 10 in rebounding and top 20 in scoring nationally. He posted 23 points and 14 rebounds in the Red Raiders’ Big 12 opener against Oklahoma State, then followed it up with 18 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks against Houston earlier this week. “This is kind of the year of the freshmen… but the guy who doesn’t get enough credit is JT Toppin,” said Houston coach Kelvin Sampson afterward. “Don’t sleep on that dude. He is a monster.”
8. Labaron Philon Jr., 6-foot-4 sophomore guard, Alabama
Last installment: No. 7
21.3 points, 5.1 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 53.7 FG%, 38.7 3FG%
Philon has thrived as the new centerpiece of Nate Oats’ fast-paced, analytics-driven system. He is the top scorer on the nation’s No. 2 offense, according to KenPom, and also leads the Tide in assists, steals and field-goal percentage. After strongly considering turning pro last summer, Philon opted to stay in Tuscaloosa in hopes of improving his draft stock. So far, he has done just that.
9. Kingston Flemings, 6-foot-4 freshman guard, Houston
Last installment: N/A
16.1 points, 5.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 2.1 steals, 53.5 FG%, 42.6 3FG%
Welcome to the top 10, Kingston Flemings! The 19-year-old has been the most reliable player on a loaded Houston team, skyrocketing up draft boards. In Tuesday’s thrilling 69-65 win over Texas Tech, he scored nine points in the final two minutes (23 overall, his sixth outing with at least 20). Flemings leads the country in “Game MVPs” — a KenPom award given to the best player in each game — with 11 as of Jan. 9.
10. Tyler Tanner, 6-foot sophomore guard, Vanderbilt
Last installment: N/A
17.1 points, 5.6 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 2.6 steals, 52.8 FG%, 41.9 3FG%
Another new addition to the top 10, Tanner has made a remarkable leap in his second season in Nashville, helping guide Vanderbilt to a perfect 15-0 start. The lightning quick guard opened SEC play with two phenomenal performances. First, he posted 19 points and 14 assists (tied for the program record) against South Carolina, becoming the first Commodore to record a double-double in those two categories since Scotty Pippen Jr. in 2021. And on Wednesday, Tanner notched a career-high 29 points (23 in the second half), 7 assists and 4 steals in a big-time victory over No. 11 Alabama.
Meet your guide
