Cade Cunningham and Luka Garza Among Wooden Award Finalists


Oklahoma State's Cade Cunningham, Iowa's Luka Garza and three Gonzaga players were among the names on the ballot.

The national ballot for the John R. Wooden Award was released Saturday and among the names of men's college basketball's brightest stars were Oklahoma State's Cade Cunningham and Iowa's Luka Garza. 

The Wooden Award, given to the top player in college basketball, has narrowed down its finalists to 15 names. Cunningham, Jeremy Woo's projected No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA draft, is averaging 19.7 points per game with 6.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists. 

Garza has been a force down low for the Hawkeyes. The center is leading the Big Ten in scoring (23.9) and has led his team to the No. 5 seed heading into the conference tournament. Garza was the runner-up for last year's Wooden Award, losing to Obi Toppin, but the stars are aligning for the 6'11" senior in 2021.

Three Gonzaga players make an appearance on the ballot while Villanova and Illinois are represented by two each. 

Full ballot: 

Charles Bassey, Western Kentucky

Jared Butler, Baylor

Kofi Cockburn, Illinois

Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State

Hunter Dickinson, Michigan

Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois

Luka Garza, Iowa

Collin Gillespie, Villanova

Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana

Corey Kispert, Gonzaga

E.J. Liddell, Ohio State

Evan Mobley, USC

Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Villanova

Jalen Suggs, Gonzaga

Drew Timme, Gonzaga