The awards, given by the Los Angeles Athletic Club, are named in honor of John Wooden, the 1932 national collegiate basketball player of the year from Purdue.

The candidates must be full-time students and have a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher throughout their college career.

Players who are nominated must have made outstanding contributions to team play, both offensively and defensively, and be model citizens, exhibiting strength of character both on and off the court.

The top ten vote-getters are selected to the All-American Team, and the results are announced following the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament.

The person who receives the most votes is named the Player of the Year, and the winner is announced following the NCAA championship game.

The criteria for the women's Player of the Year award and All-American Team honors are similar to those for the men.

For the women's award, the National Advisory Board consists of 12 members, and approximately 15 candidates are selected for the ballot.

The trophy features five bronze figures, each depicting one of the five major skills that Wooden believed that "total" basketball player must exhibit: rebounding, passing, shooting, dribbling, and defense.

When selecting the individual, the Wooden Award Committee considers a coach's character, success rate on the court, graduating rate of student athletes, his or her coaching philosophy, and identification with the goals of the John R. Wooden Award.