Each year, the Wooden Award National Advisory Board puts together lists of 15 of the top Men’s and Women’s College Basketball players in the country for the Wooden Award National Ballot. These players are candidates for both the Wooden Award Trophy and the Wooden Award All-American Team. Michigan State Basketball point guard Cassius Winston has been named to the National Ballot for the second year in a row.
Winston was named to the Wooden Award All-American Team last year. He is the only player aside from Marquette’s Markus Howard to be on the Ballot this year after being named an All-American last season.
Voting for the Wooden Award will take place between March 16th and March 23rd. The All-American team will be revealed on April 1st after the Elite Eight. The Wooden Award Trophy will be presented during the ESPN College Basketball Awards Presented by Wendy’s on ESPN2 on April 10.
Here is the full list of candidates, per the Wooden Award website:
| Name | School | Conference | Height | Class | Position |
| Udoka Azubuike | Kansas | Big 12 | 7-0 | Sr. | C |
| Saddiq Bey | Villanova | Big East | 6-8 | So. | F |
| Jared Butler | Baylor | Big 12 | 6-3 | So. | G |
| Anthony Cowan Jr. | Maryland | Big Ten | 6-0 | Sr. | G |
| Devon Dotson | Kansas | Big 12 | 6-2 | So. | G |
| Malachi Flynn | San Diego State | Mountain West | 6-1 | Jr. | G |
| Luka Garza | Iowa | Big Ten | 6-11 | Jr. | C |
| Markus Howard* | Marquette | Big East | 5-11 | Sr. | G |
| Tre Jones | Duke | ACC | 6-3 | So. | G |
| Jordan Nwora | Louisville | ACC | 6-7 | Jr. | F |
| Filip Petrusev | Gonzaga | WCC | 6-11 | So. | F |
| Myles Powell | Seton Hall | Big East | 6-2 | Sr. | G |
| Payton Pritchard | Oregon | Pac-12 | 6-2 | Sr. | G |
| Obi Toppin | Dayton | A-10 | 6-9 | So. | F |
| Cassius Winston* | Michigan State | Big Ten | 6-1 | Sr. | G |
