10 men's college basketball Wooden Award candidates

It's the most prestigious individual award in college basketball. Every player strives for it, but only a few are great enough to receive it.

The John Wooden Award, presented annually to the most outstanding men's and women's college basketball player, has seen some legendary winners in the past: Bird, Jordan, Duncan and Durant — just to name a few.

Competition for this season's award in men's college basketball should be interesting. There is no clear preseason favorite, but there are several contenders worthy of being recipients. So as the tip-off of the men's season nears, here are 10 candidates worthy of the 2019 Wooden Award.

Carsen Edwards, Guard, Purdue
A preseason All-American, Edwards enjoyed a breakout 2017-18 season during which he ranked third in the Big Ten in scoring (18.5 points per game) while shooting 45.8 percent. He won't have as talented a supporting cast to at least start the season, but Edwards' production could be even better as long as he doesn't let the pressure of carrying a team get to him. On a side note, Wooden played at Purdue and Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson is the only Boilermaker to win the award (1994).

Luke Maye, Forward, North Carolina
Maye's remarkable transformation from low-minute role player to star in one season is why college basketball has more to offer than one-and-dones and bribery scandals. It might be too much to ask Maye to duplicate his stellar junior season in which he averaged 16.9 points, shot a solid 43.1 percent from three-point range and pulled down 10.1 rebounds per game. The addition of five-star recruit Nassir Little might take some of the scoring load off Maye, but his value to the Tar Heels remains extremely high.

Tyus Battle, Guard, Syracuse
The fact Battle returned to school after not leaving early for the NBA is a major win for the Orange, and another stellar campaign would certainly improve his draft stock. The junior from Jersey is not a great shooter (39.9 percent from the field in 2017-18), but he's among the best pure scorers (19.2 ppg) in the collegiate ranks. Also, there might not be a player on an NCAA Tournament contender who brings more value to his team than Battle.

R.J. Barrett, Forward, Duke
The prized prospect of the 2018-19 freshman class, Barrett is a do-it-all wing who many believe is already the best player in the country. There is no doubting the Canadian's overall ability, but he'll have to share the stage with Duke's other five-star recruits in Zion Williamson and Cam Reddish. Barrett can become the first freshman to win the award since Kentucky's Anthony Davis in 2012 and the first Duke player since JJ Redick in '06.

Dedric Lawson, Guard-Forward, Kansas
The plight of the transfer has become the game within the college basketball game, and Lawson is perhaps the transfer who will garner the most attention this season. In 2016-17, he averaged 19.2 points and 9.9 boards for his hometown Memphis Tigers. After sitting out a season, Lawson will try to bring the same level of production to Lawrence. He's immediately become the best player on the preseason No. 1 team in the country, and that's saying something with elite recruit Quentin Grimes and budding star guard Lagerald Vick in the fold. The rigors of the Big 12 seem heftier than that of the American Athletic Conference, so it will be interesting to see how Lawson adapts.

Ethan Happ, Forward, Wisconsin
Looking to follow fellow Badgers big man Frank Kaminsky as a Wooden Award winner (2015), Happ has improved his production in his three seasons in Madison. In 2017-18 when Wisconsin struggled to a 15-18 mark, Happ pretty much had to do it all while averaging career highs in points (17.9) and assists (3.7) to go along with 8.0 rebounds. A career 55 percent shooter, Happ should get more help as he tries to lead the Badgers back to the Big Dance in his final season.

Reid Travis, Forward, Kentucky
Normally we talk about Kentucky and the outstanding freshmen that coach John Calipari has to showcase. He certainly has some good ones again this season (Keldon Johnson and EJ Montgomery), but the key to how far the Wildcats will go could depend on the play of graduate transfer Travis. Last season for Stanford, Travis ranked third in the Pac-12 in scoring (19.5 ppg) and rebounding (8.7). It remains to be seen how Travis will mesh with Kentucky's young talent, but it all looks good on paper.

Shamorie Ponds, Guard, St. John's
Among the nation's leading scorers (21.6 ppg) in 2017-18, Ponds might be the best pure point producer in the country. His value to the Red Storm is indescribable, and if the squad can turn things around and finally deliver a winning season, then the junior has a chance to earn serious Wooden consideration. Don't be surprised if Ponds tends to rely on his teammates more, which might cause his stats to dip but would certainly elevate his overall game.

Caleb Martin, Forward, Nevada
Martin makes up one-third of perhaps the best front line in America with brother Cody and Jordan Caroline. A transfer from North Carolina State, Caleb Martin averaged 18.9 points, shot 40.3 percent from beyond the arc and was a big reason the Wolf Pack reached the regional semifinals in 2018. Nevada's expectations are higher this season with Martin back to lead the way and maybe even take some hardware home in the process.

Romeo Langford, Guard, Indiana
Hoosier fans have been waiting the last few years for this moment. Favorite son Langford, sporting the cream and crimson and leading Indiana basketball back to the promised land — or in this case, the NCAA Tournament after two seasons of missing out. Langford has the moves, the shot and the intelligence to help the Hoosiers accomplish that goal while possibly leading the nation in scoring along the way. The hype is real for the freshman phenom; let's see if he can handle it.