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John R. Wooden Award Announces 2019-20 Midseason Top 25 Watch List
POSTED: January 8, 2020 -- 9:58 p.m. CT
The John R. Wooden Award® announced its Midseason Top 25 Watch List today on ESPNU. Chosen by a poll of national college basketball experts based on their performances during the first half of the 2019-20 season, the list comprises of 25 student-athletes who are front-runners for the sport's most prestigious honor.
On the 2020 Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 Watch List, five players make their debut on the Wooden Watch after not being named on the Preseason Top 50 Watch List: Malachi Flynn (San Diego State), Luka Garza (Iowa), Filip Petrusev (Gonzaga), Zavier Simpson (Michigan) and Obi Toppin (Dayton). Three schools have two players on the list: Duke (Vernon Carey Jr. and Tre Jones), Kansas (Udoka Azubuike and Devon Dotson) and Kentucky (Ashton Hagans and Tyrese Maxey).
The Big Ten leads all conferences with six selections; followed by the ACC, Big 12, Big East, Pac-12, and SEC with three selections each; and the A-10, American, Mountain West, and WCC with one selection apiece.
The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2020 John R. Wooden Award Men's Player of the Year. Players not chosen to the preseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award™ late season list, and the National Ballot. The National Ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the Wooden Award. Nearly 1,000 voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players when voting opens prior to the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during early round games. The Wooden Award All American Team™ will be announced the week of the “Elite Eight” round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2020 John R. Wooden Award will be presented during the ESPN College Basketball Awards on Friday, April 10, 2020.
John R. Wooden Award Announces 2019-20 Midseason Top 25 Watch List
Name |
School |
Conference |
Height |
Class |
Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precious Achiuwa | Memphis | The American | 6'9" | Frosh | F |
| Udoka Azubuike | Kansas | Big 12 | 7'0" | Sr | C |
| Saddiq Bey | Villanova | Big East | 6'8" | Soph | F |
| Vernon Carey Jr | Duke | ACC | 6'10" | Frosh | C/F |
| Anthony Cowan Jr | Maryland | Big Ten | 6'0" | Sr | G |
| Devon Dotson | Kansas | Big 12 | 6'2" | Soph | G |
| Anthony Edwards | Georgia | SEC | 6'5" | Frosh | G |
| Malachi Flynn | San Diego State | Mountain West | 6'1" | Jr | G |
| Luka Garza | Iowa | Big Ten | 6'11" | Jr | C |
| Ashton Hagans | Kentucky | SEC | 6'3" | Soph | G |
| Tyrese Haliburton | Iowa State | Big 12 | 6'5" | Soph | G |
| Markus Howard* | Marquette | Big East | 5'11" | Sr | G |
| Tre Jones | Duke | ACC | 6'3 | Soph | G |
| Tyrese Maxey | Kentucky | SEC | 6'3" | Frosh | G |
| Jordan Nwora | Louisville | ACC | 6'7" | Jr | F |
| Filip Petrusev | Gonzaga | WCC | 6'11" | Soph | F |
| Myles Powell | Seton Hall | Big East | 6'2" | Sr | G |
| Neemias Queta | Utah State | Mountain West | 7'0" | Soph | C |
| Zavier Simpson | Michigan | Big Ten | 6'0" | Sr | G |
| Lamar Stevens | Penn State | Big Ten | 6'8" | Sr | F |
| Isaiah Stewart | Washington | Pac-12 | 6'9" | Frosh | F |
| Tres Tinkle | Oregon State | Pac-12 | 6'7" | Sr | F |
| Obi Toppin | Dayton | A-10 | 6'9" | Soph | F |
| Kaleb Wesson | Ohio State | Big Ten | 6'9" | Jr | F |
| Cassius Winston* | Michigan State | Big Ten | 6'1" | Sr | G |
# - indicates player was selected to the 2018-19 Wooden Award All American
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