John R. Wooden Award Player of the Year Award winners Men

| Season | Player | School | Position_ | Class_ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976–77 | Marques Johnson Category:Articles with hCards | UCLA | Guard / Forward | Senior |
| 1977–78 | Phil Ford Category:Articles with hCards | North Carolina | Point guard | Senior |
| 1978–79 | Larry Bird Category:Articles with hCards | Indiana State | Small forward | Senior |
| 1979–80 | Darrell Griffith Category:Articles with hCards | Louisville | Shooting guard | Senior |
| 1980–81 | Danny Ainge Category:Articles with hCards | BYU | Shooting guard | Senior |
| 1981–82 | Ralph Sampson Category:Articles with hCards | Virginia | Center | Junior |
| 1982–83 | Ralph Sampson Category:Articles with hCards (2) | Virginia | Center | Senior |
| 1983–84 | Michael Jordan Category:Articles with hCards | North Carolina | Shooting guard | Junior |
| 1984–85 | Chris Mullin Category:Articles with hCards | St. John`s | Small forward / Shooting guard | Senior |