Indiana basketball center Kel’el Ware announced on Tuesday that he would be entering the 2024 NBA Draft after a terrific sophomore season in Bloomington.
Despite playing just one year with Indiana, Ware was among the top big men in the entire country. Ware averaged 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.9 blocks per game in 30 appearances this season. He started every game he appeared in and was an All-Big Ten Second Team selection. He was also on the All-Defensive Big Ten team.
Throughout the season, Ware was the most consistent and best player for Indiana basketball. He had 10 games with at least 20 points and five with at least 25 points.
He finished with 15 double-doubles and 16 games with double figure rebounds. Ware had zero double-digit rebounding games as a freshman. He also didn’t have a 20-point game last year.
His career high came this year, scoring 28 points against Harvard. He also tied that in the regular season finale against Michigan State.
In Big Ten play alone, Ware averaged 16.9 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. He led the league in field goal percent at 63.2 percent shooting from the floor.
“Mike’s done a hell of a job with Ware. He deserves a lot of credit,” Michigan State had coach Tom Izzo said after IU’s win over MSU this year. “I played against him (Ware) last year and wasn’t very good. Now, Kinda like our kid (Xavier) Booker, I think strength, I think he’s tougher and — earlier in the year he was okay, but the last half of the year he’s been a force to be reckoned with. I give Mike a lot of credit and Ware a lot of credit. He made some tough shots.”
Compare that to his freshman season at Oregon where he averaged 6.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. He played in 35 games with four starts in 15.8 minutes a game.
A major reason for coming to Indiana was the development he would receive under Mike Woodson. Before he joined the Indiana basketball program, Woodson made his message clear to Ware.
“Well, when I recruited that young man I told him, you cannot go back and get what happened the year before. You can’t,” Woodson said at Indiana basketball media day this offseason. “The word is out; they knocked you and said, hey, you’re lazy, you don’t work hard, and if you make a commitment to me, that’s got to change.
“I’m not always the easiest coach to play for, but I’m in your corner and I’m fair and I want what’s best for you and my ballclub. He made the commitment to me, and I’m going to push him to play at a higher level to help us win basketball games.”
That commitment to each other is a major reason why Ware is now slotted as a first round selection this summer. He has been listed anywhere from late teens to mid 20s in most mock drafts.
“In April of last year Coach Woodson and I sat in his office and he told me he was going to help me get to the next level, and if there is one thing we know about Woody, is that he is true to his word,” Ware told 247Sports National Analyst Travis Branham. “I owe a lot to Coach Woodson and the entire coaching staff, Coach Yasir, Coach Kenya and Coach Brian.”
The North Little Rock (Ark) native was ranked as the No. 7 overall prospect in the 2022 class. He was the No. 3 center in the class. Coming into his freshman year, Ware was a projected lottery pick but quickly fell off draft boards because of the inconsistent play — and inconstant motor.
“Just to prove everyone was wrong. Show everyone I have a motor and keep it going on the court,” Ware said this offseason. “People say I’m lazy, just wanna show them I’m not lazy.”
The NBA Combine will take place from May 12 to May 19 and will almost certainly include Ware.
The NBA Draft is on June 27.
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