Jalen Brunson, Devonte Graham among 5 players vying for Wooden Award

LOS ANGELES – Jalen Brunson of Villanova and Devonte Graham of Kansas are among five players vying for the John R. Wooden Award as college basketball’s player of the year.

Brunson and Graham will square off at the Final Four when their teams meet in the national semifinals on Saturday.

They, along with Deandre Ayton of Arizona, Marvin Bagley III of Duke and Trae Young of Oklahoma, have been invited to Los Angeles for the 42nd annual presentation of the award on April 6 during the College Basketball Awards.

In addition to those five, Keita Bates-Diop of Ohio State, Trevon Bluiett of Xavier, Mikal Bridges of Villanova, Miles Bridges of Michigan State and Jevon Carter of West Virginia were named to the Wooden Award All-American team announced Wednesday.

Voting took place from March 12-19 during the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament.