Duke's Grayson Allen, Marvin Bagley III highlight Wooden Award top 50
The John R. Wooden Award announced its top 50 on Tuesday, and the themes of the honor's initial collection of candidates are flashy freshmen and experience.
Duke's Grayson Allen and North Carolina's Joel Berry II anchor a group of 22 seniors on the first list for college basketball's top honor. But standout freshmen Marvin Bagley III of Duke, Deandre Ayton of Arizona, Mohamed Bamba of Texas and Michael Porter Jr. of Missouri -- -projected lottery picks in next summer's NBA draft -- are all strong contenders to win the Wooden Award.
Miles Bridges, the Michigan State sophomore who returned to East Lansing for a shot at the national title, entered the season with more hype than player on the award's first list.
Nine players from the ACC earned a mention, too.
But it's also a diverse list that acknowledges players outside the Power 5 conferences like South Dakota State's Mike Daum, Wichita State's Landry Shamet and SMU's Shake Milton.
In January, the Wooden Award will unveil a midseason top 25 list, which might feature players who did not make Tuesday's top 50 list.
John R. Wooden Award top 50
Jaylen Adams, Senior, St. Bonaventurebr/>Deng Adel, Junior, Louisvillebr/>Rawle Alkins, Sophomore, Arizonabr/>Grayson Allen, Senior, Dukebr/>KeVaughn Allen, Junior, Floridabr/>Deandre Ayton, Freshman, Arizonabr/>Marvin Bagley III, Freshman, Dukebr/>Mohamed Bamba, Freshman, Texasbr/>Joel Berry II, Senior, North Carolinabr/>Trevon Bluiett, Senior, Xavierbr/>Miles Bridges, Sophomore, Michigan Statebr/>Bruce Brown Jr., Sophomore, Miamibr/>Jalen Brunson, Junior, Villanovabr/>Jeffrey Carroll, Senior, Oklahoma State/p>
Jevon Carter, Senior, West Virginiabr/>Bonzie Colson, Senior, Notre Damebr/>Mike Daum, Junior, South Dakota Statebr/>Angel Delgado, Senior, Seton Hallbr/>Hamidou Diallo, Freshman, Kentuckybr/>Trevon Duval, Freshman, Dukebr/>Vincent Edwards, Senior, Purduebr/>Jacob Evans, Junior, Cincinnatibr/>Matt Farrell, Senior, Notre Damebr/>Marcus Foster, Senior, Creightonbr/>Devonte' Graham, Senior, Kansasbr/>Rob Gray, Senior, Houstonbr/>Ethan Happ, Junior, Wisconsinbr/>Aaron Holiday, Junior, UCLAbr/>Chandler Hutchison, Senior, Boise Statebr/>Jaren Jackson Jr., Freshman, Michigan Statebr/>Kevin Knox, Freshman, Kentuckybr/>Ben Lammers, Senior, Georgia Tech/p>
Jock Landale, Senior, Saint Mary'sbr/>Kelan Martin, Senior, Butlerbr/>Nate Mason, Senior, Minnesotabr/>Yante Maten, Senior, Georgiabr/>Bryant McIntosh, Senior, Northwesternbr/>Jordan McLaughlin, Senior, USCbr/>Chimezie Metu, Junior, USCbr/>Shake Milton, Junior, SMUbr/>Malik Newman, Sophomore, Kansasbr/>Michael Porter Jr., Freshman, Missouribr/>Collin Sexton, Freshman, Alabamabr/>Landry Shamet, Sophomore, Wichita Statebr/>Reid Travis, Junior, Stanfordbr/>Allonzo Trier, Junior, Arizonabr/>Moritz Wagner, Junior, Michiganbr/>Robert Williams, Sophomore, Texas A&Mbr/>Johnathan Williams, Senior, Gonzagabr/>Trae Young, Freshman, Oklahomabr/]
