Indiana Basketball: Where Kel’el Ware lands in updated ESPN big board as Big Ten play resumes

Indiana basketball sophomore center Kel’el Ware has had a very productive first two months in Bloomington but it hasn’t come without some inconsistencies in his play. Despite that, the talent remains evident and that continues to be a reason for his long-term projection.

Coming into college, Ware was a projected lottery pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. After a disappointing freshman season at Oregon, he made the move to join the Indiana basketball program — one that has paid dividends.

This season Ware is averaging 14.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 blocks per game. He’s shooting 55.1 percent from the field — up from 45.7 percent a season ago — and 37.5 percent from three — up from 27.3 percent last year.

His numbers a season ago were: 6.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 1.3 blocks per game.

Because of his sophomore year jump, NBA scouts continue to see promise in the big man. That includes ESPN NBA Draft analyst Jonathan Givony who has Ware slotted at No. 22 is his latest mock draft as Big Ten play resumes.

“Ware has dominated lower-level competition while being inconsistent against similar-sized big men, giving him much to prove heading into Big Ten play. It’s hard to find long-armed 7-1 centers with mobility and skill, especially facing the basket, where he shows promising ability to stretch the floor,” Givony wrote. “Ware has made some strides with his passing and intensity level, but he still has some questions to answer about his lack of physicality and court awareness on both ends of the floor, as Donovan Clingan (UConn), Johni Broome (Auburn) and Hunter Dickinson (Kansas) got the best of him, as he shot just 4-for-22 inside the arc versus that trio of All-Conference bigs.

“NBA teams will want to fall in love with his upside in the pre-draft process, but how the 19-year-old interviews will be just as important as his play this season.”

As Givony noted, Ware has had his struggles against some of the better big men that he’s faced this season.

After averaging 17.7 points on 64.4 percent shooting in the first seven games, Ware has struggled since. Not in a hugely significant area, but the efficiency is down. He’s averaging just 11.0 points on 40 percent shooting in the last five games — with no game with over 13 points. While he’s still averaging 8.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, the offensive numbers have dipped.

Ware went through some of these struggles last year right around the same time at Oregon. The difference is this year, Indiana basketball head coach Mike Woodson will let Ware play through any struggles — because he needs him.

“I would say I’m more in a groove now with Coach Woodson giving me that role where he trusts me enough to just go make the play and attack the basket, score, even throw it out to my teammates and just play smart on the court,” Ware said earlier this season. “As long as I’m playing hard and just giving them that, then we should be good.”

Ware missed Indiana’s win on Friday due to a reported positive Covid test — so time will tell if he’ll be back on the court when the Hoosiers take on Nebraska.