As the 2023-2024 college basketball season heats up, three notable players are emerging as early favorites for the prestigious John R. Wooden Award. Caitlin Clark from Iowa, Paige Bueckers of UConn, and Angel Reese from LSU have topped the preseason list of candidates for the honor, as reported by Alexa Philippou of ESPN. The award is given annually to the most outstanding player in college basketball.

Caitlin Clark, a standout from Iowa, and Paige Bueckers of UConn have previously won national player of the year honors in 2023 and 2021, respectively. Angel Reese, representing LSU, was named the most outstanding player at the 2023 Final Four, showcasing her exceptional talent on the national stage.

The Wooden Award's top 50 preseason list features a diverse group of athletes, including notable mentions like Hailey Van Lith from LSU, Aaliyah Edwards of UConn, and Georgia Amoore from Virgina Tech

In terms of representation, LSU leads the way with four players on the preseason top 50 list. They are closely followed by UConn, Ohio State and UCLA, each boasting three candidates. South Carolina, recently ascended to No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll, is represented by Kamilla Cardoso and Te-Hina Paopao.

An intriguing addition to the list is USC's JuJu Watkins, the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2023, who is the only freshman to make it into the top 50.

The watch list for the Wooden Award will be refined multiple times throughout the season. The process will culminate in the announcement of the five-person All-American team in March, followed by the ultimate reveal of the award winner. This ongoing evaluation ensures that the best and most consistent performers throughout the season are recognized.