Kentucky forward Oscar Tshiebwe will have to fend off serious competition to make history as a two-time men's college basketball Wooden Award winner.
Tshiebwe (16.8 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 1.3 BPG) anchors the John R. Wooden Award Presented by Wendy's midseason top 25 list for 2022-23 that was released Wednesday. He could become the second two-time winner of the men's Wooden Award, exactly 40 years after former Virginia star Ralph Sampson won it in 1982 and 1983.
However, Tshiebwe arguably is not the frontrunner for the award.
This edition of the men's midseason list features Zach Edey (21.7 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 2.2 BPG), who has led Purdue to the AP No. 1 ranking, Gonzaga's Drew Timme (22.7 PPG, 8.3 RPG), who has put up the best numbers of his career and Kansas star Jalen Wilson (20.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG), who has positioned the Jayhawks to chase a top seed and potentially defend their national title.
A few mid-major stars made the list, including Detroit Mercy's Antoine Davis (3,103 career points, 7th all-time), who is projected to finish the year ranked second all-time in scoring in Division I history, and Jordan "Jelly" Walker (25.2 PPG), the UAB star leading the nation in scoring.
Houston star Marcus Sasser and other upperclassmen occupy the bulk of the slots on the midseason list. But four freshmen -- Kansas' Gradey Dick, Duke's Kyle Filipowski, Baylor's Keyonte George and Alabama's Brandon Miller -- are on the list.
Despite North Carolina's struggles this season, two Tar Heels players, Armando Bacot and Caleb Love, made the list.
Players who failed to make the midseason list can still earn a spot as a Wooden Award finalist. During the 2012-13 season, former Indiana star Victor Oladipo was not on the midseason list, but he finished second in the race to Michigan's Trey Burke, the winner that year.
The Wooden Award will be presented April 7, 2023.
A complete look at the men's Wooden Award midseason top 25:
Armando Bacot, North Carolina, 6-11, Sr., F/C
Marcus Carr, Texas, 6-2, Sr., G
Antoine Davis, Detroit Mercy, 6-1, Sr., G
Kendric Davis, Memphis, 6-0, Sr., G
Gradey Dick, Kansas, 6-8, Fr., G
Hunter Dickinson, Michigan, 7-1, Jr., C
Zach Edey, Purdue, 7-4, Jr., C
Kyle Filipowski, Duke, 7-0, Fr., C
Adam Flagler, Baylor, 6-3, Sr., G
Keyonte George, Baylor, 6-4, Fr., G
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana, 6-9, Sr., F
Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA, 6-7, Sr., G/F
Caleb Love, North Carolina, 6-4, Jr., G
Mike Miles Jr., TCU, 6-2, Jr., G
Brandon Miller, Alabama, 6-9, Fr., F
Kris Murray, Iowa, 6-8, Jr., F
Adama Sanogo, UConn, 6-9, Jr., F
Marcus Sasser, Houston, 6-2, Sr., G
Terquavion Smith, NC State, 6-4, Soph., G
Drew Timme, Gonzaga, 6-10, Sr., F
Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky, 6-9, Sr., F
Azuolas Tubelis, Arizona, 6-11, Jr., F
Jordan Walker, UAB, 5-11, Sr., G
Jalen Wilson, Kansas, 6-8, Jr., F
Isaiah Wong, Miami, 6-4, Jr., G