PinnacleSports.com Posts Wooden Award Odds

WILLEMSTAD, Curacao -– (PRESS RELEASE) -- Now that the major pre-season tournaments have concluded, the play of several top candidates has allowed them to stake their claim as serious contenders to win college basketball's top honor, the John R. Wooden Award. Although the season is only weeks old, leading Internet sportsbook PinnacleSports.com has entered the early player of the year debates by announcing odds on who'll be named the 2006 Wooden Award winner.

The largest sports betting site on the Internet, PinnacleSports.com currently has two teammates on the top-ranked team in the nation as the early favorites to earn college basketball's most prestigious award. After earning MVP honors while leading Duke to the NIT Season Tip-Off championship, Sheldon Williams has been made the early favorite to win the Wooden Award at 11/4 odds. PinnacleSports.com currently lists Williams' teammate and last year's runner-up J.J. Redick with the second-best odds at 3/1 to be named the nation's top collegiate player. Adam Morrison's explosive offensive display in the Maui Invitational earned him tournament MVP honors despite Gonzaga's loss in the championship game and positioned him as a solid contender for player of the year honors, currently listed at 7/2 odds to win the award. Viewed by many experts as the most talented player in college basketball, Connecticut sophomore Rudy Gay is currently a 9/1 long shot to take home the Wooden Award at PinnacleSports.com.

"Duke's dynamic duo of Sheldon Williams and JJ Redick are widely considered the frontrunners to become the Blue Devils fifth Wooden Award winner," said Simon Noble of PinnacleSports.com. "Although he finished second in last year's voting, Redick may not be the most valuable player on his own team as Williams' inside presence is something Duke cannot win without. While he may not play in a major conference like the ACC or Big East, Adam Morrison has already proved that he's one of the best scorers and all-around players in the nation, worthy of serious consideration on every Wooden Award ballot."

Texas sophomore sensation Daniel Gibson may appear on several pre-season All-American teams, but PinnacleSports.com believes the Longhorns point guard is a long shot to be named college basketball's top player, listing Gibson at 19/2 odds. Other players the online sportsbook lists as large underdogs to capture the Wooden Award include: Boston College's Craig Smith (15/1); Kentucky's Rajon Rando (15/1); Illinois' Dee Brown (30/1) and West Virginia's Kevin Pittsnogle (100/1).