The John R. Wooden Award, presented annually, honors the most outstanding men's and women's college basketball players. It encompasses the Player of the Year awards for both genders, the Legends of Coaching award, and the All–American Teams recognition. Instituted by the Los Angeles Athletic Club, these awards pay tribute to John Wooden, a basketball icon and the 1932 national collegiate player of the year from Purdue. Wooden, famed for coaching at Indiana State and UCLA, achieved unparalleled success with ten NCAA championships. Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player and coach, Wooden's impact is immense. Initially exclusive to men, the award expanded to include women in 2004, with the Legends of Coaching Award introduced in 1999.
List of Wooden Award Winners
Every year, the Wooden Award's National Advisory Board, comprising 26 members, carefully selects approximately 20 candidates for the prestigious Player of the Year and All-American Team honors. These candidates must be full-time students with a GPA of 2.00 or higher and must showcase excellence both on and off the basketball court. The selection ballot is unveiled before the NCAA basketball tournament, and the votes are cast by 1,000 sportswriters and sportscasters representing all 50 states.
Following the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament, the top ten vote-getters earn coveted spots on the All-American Team. The Player of the Year, determined by the individual receiving the most votes, is officially announced after the NCAA championship game.
| Season | Player | School | Position | Class |
| 1976–77 | Marques Johnson | UCLA | F | Senior |
| 1977–78 | Phil Ford | North Carolina | PG | Senior |
| 1978–79 | Larry Bird | Indiana State | SF | Senior |
| 1979–80 | Darrell Griffith | Louisville | SG | Senior |
| 1980–81 | Danny Ainge | BYU | SG | Senior |
| 1981–82 | Ralph Sampson | Virginia | C | Junior |
| 1982–83 | Ralph Sampson (2) | Virginia (2) | C | Senior |
| 1983–84 | Michael Jordan | North Carolina (2) | SG | Junior |
| 1984–85 | Chris Mullin | St. John's | SF / SG | Senior |
| 1985–86 | Walter Berry | St. John's (2) | PF | Senior |
| 1986–87 | David Robinson | Navy | C | Senior |
| 1987–88 | Danny Manning | Kansas | PF | Senior |
| 1988–89 | Sean Elliott | Arizona | SF | Senior |
| 1989–90 | Lionel Simmons | La Salle | SF | Senior |
| 1990–91 | Larry Johnson | UNLV | PF | Senior |
| 1991–92 | Christian Laettner | Duke | F | Senior |
| 1992–93 | Calbert Cheaney | Indiana | SF | Senior |
| 1993–94 | Glenn Robinson | Purdue | SF / PF | Sophomore |
| 1994–95 | Ed O'Bannon | UCLA (2) | SF | Senior |
| 1995–96 | Marcus Camby | UMass | C | Junior |
| 1996–97 | Tim Duncan | Wake Forest | C | Senior |
| 1997–98 | Antawn Jamison | North Carolina (3) | PF | Junior |
| 1998–99 | Elton Brand | Duke (2) | C | Sophomore |
| 1999–00 | Kenyon Martin | Cincinnati | PF | Senior |
| 2000–01 | Shane Battier | Duke (3) | SF / PF | Senior |
| 2001–02 | Jason Williams | Duke (4) | PG | Junior |
| 2002–03 | T. J. Ford | Texas | PG | Sophomore |
| 2003–04 | Jameer Nelson | Saint Joseph's | PG | Senior |
| 2004–05 | Andrew Bogut | Utah | C | Sophomore |
| 2005–06 | JJ Redick | Duke (5) | SG | Senior |
| 2006–07 | Kevin Durant | Texas (2) | SF | Freshman |
| 2007–08 | Tyler Hansbrough | North Carolina (4) | PF | Junior |
| 2008–09 | Blake Griffin | Oklahoma | PF | Sophomore |
| 2009–10 | Evan Turner | Ohio State | SF | Junior |
| 2010–11 | Jimmer Fredette | BYU (2) | PG | Senior |
| 2011–12 | Anthony Davis | Kentucky | C | Freshman |
| 2012–13 | Trey Burke | Michigan | PG | Sophomore |
| 2013–14 | Doug McDermott | Creighton | SF / PF | Senior |
| 2014–15 | Frank Kaminsky | Wisconsin | PF | Senior |
| 2015–16 | Buddy Hield | Oklahoma (2) | SG | Senior |
| 2016–17 | Frank Mason III | Kansas (2) | PG | Senior |
| 2017–18 | Jalen Brunson | Villanova | PG | Junior |
| 2018–19 | Zion Williamson | Duke (6) | SF / PF | Freshman |
| 2019–20 | Obi Toppin | Dayton | PF | Sophomore |
| 2020–21 | Luka Garza | Iowa | C | Senior |
| 2021–22 | Oscar Tshiebwe | Kentucky (2) | C | Junior |
| 2022–23 | Zach Edey | Purdue (2) | C | Junior |
FAQ's On Wooden Award Winner List
A. The Wooden Award was instituted by the Los Angeles Athletic Club to honor John Wooden, a basketball icon.
A. The Wooden Award expanded to include women in 2004, initially exclusive to men before the introduction of women's recognition.
A. Approximately 1,000 sportswriters and sportscasters from all 50 states cast votes to determine the Wooden Award winners.
A. The Player of the Year is officially announced after the NCAA championship game, following the Elite Eight round of the tournament.
A. The National Advisory Board comprises 26 members.
