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Indiana basketball announces addition of transfer center Kel’el Ware

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Oregon center Kel'el Ware dunks the ball as the Oregon Ducks host the No. 7 UCLA Bruins Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore. (Syndication The Register Guard)

The Indiana basketball program has officially announced the addition of Oregon transfer center Kel’el Ware. The 7-foot Ware is a former five-star prospect who was rated as the No. 2 overall transfer in the 247Sports transfer rankings.

Ware averaged 6.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game in one season at Oregon.

He averaged 12.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game in a four-game stretch in the Phil Knight Invitational against Houston, UConn, Michigan State and Villanova.

He was a McDonald’s All-American coming out of the 2022 class. Coming into the 2022-23 season, Ware was a projected lottery pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. After an up-and-down freshman season, a new start at Indiana could be a perfect match.

Below is the full release from the Indiana basketball program.

IU men’s basketball coach Mike Woodson has announced that Kel’el Ware, a 7-0, 210 lb., center, will join the program as a transfer and have three seasons of eligibility.  He comes to IU from Oregon where he played 35 games and started four as a freshman for the Ducks.  He averaged 6.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in 15.8 minutes of action per game and led the team in blocked shots with 45.  His best game of the year was an 18-point, nine-board effort against eventual national champion, UConn.  He also had nine rebounds against Michigan State.

A native of North Little Rock, Arkansas, he led North Little Rock High School to back-to-back state championships and was the 2021 State Tournament MVP. He earned multiple All-State and All-Conference honors. As a senior, he averaged 21.2 points, 12.0 rebounds and 5.7 blocks and as a junior, He averaged 16.2 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 4.1 blocks per game for Coach Johnny Rice and the Charging Wildcats.  Finished hissophomore campaign averaging 12.7 ppg. and 6.8 rpg. to help NLR to a 23-5 mark that ended due to COVID.  He played AAU ball for All-Arkansas Red.

He was a 2022 McDonald’s All-American where he had eight points and a team-high 10 boards for the West.  He also was a Jordan Brand All-Star participant alongside Hoosiers Jalen Hood-Schifino and Malik Reneau and played in the Iverson Classic.  For the Class of 2022, he was ranked sixth overall in the final 247Sports individual rankings, seventh by Rivals.com and eighth by ESPN.com. He represented USA Basketball winning a gold medal at the 2022 FIBA U18 Americas Championship in Tijuana, Mexico.   He played for the 2022 USA Nike Hoop Summit Team that defeated the World Select Team 102-80 in the 23rd Nike Hoop Summit and came off the bench to score 11 points on four-of-five shooting from the field and also grabbed five rebounds.

He is the son of Tamika Spaight and Cedrick Spaight; has two brothers, Javarus Ware and Kashis Spaight, and two sisters, Dyamyn Ware and Jazzmyn Spaight.  He was born April 20, 2004.

MIKE WOODSON ON WARE:

“Kel’el is an extremely gifted player who will bring a lot to our program. He is a tremendous athlete whose skill level in all facets of the game will make us better. He’s a rim protector with great size and length, he runs the floor so well, he can shoot and he’s someone who competed and won at a high level in high school. We welcome he and his family to Bloomington and to Hoosier Nation .”

SEE ALSOWith front court needs addressed, shooting becomes key focus for Indiana basketball

Follow Hoosier Illustrated on Twitter @Indiana_FRN to stay up to date on all of the news, updates and coverage of Indiana University athletics. 

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Indiana basketball extends offer to 2025 in-state guard Azavier Robinson

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Azavier Robinson, Indiana basketball
The Indiana basketball program extended a scholarship offer to 2025 guard Azavier Robinson following an unofficial visit. 

The Indiana basketball program extended a scholarship offer to 2025 Lawrence North (Ind.) guard Azavier Robinson on Saturday following an unofficial visit.

Robinson was one of three 2025 prospects to visit Indiana on Saturday. Four-star forward Trent Sisley and four-star wing Aleks Alston were also on visits to Indiana.

Indiana joins other programs such as Notre Dame, Ohio State, St. John’s, Oklahoma State, TCU, Butler, East Tennessee State and Indiana State among others who have offered Robinson.

Robinson has taken a few visits to Indiana over the last year.

As a sophomore at Lawrence North, Robinson averaged 20.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.6 steals per game. This season, he expected to lead Lawrence North as one of the favorites to win the Class 4A State Championship.

Robinson is a lightening quick guard that can score at all three levels of the floor. When it comes to getting past the defender and getting to the basket, Robinson’s speed and on-ball skills are a major advantage of his. He is a  highly athletic player and is so explosive off the dribble and just overall has elite playmaking ability right now.

Robinson is ranked the No. 134 player in the 2025 247Sports Composite Rankings.

SEE ALSO: Down to Indiana basketball & Kansas, five-star Liam McNeeley goes into decision mode

Make sure to follow Hoosier Illustrated on Twitter @Indiana_FRN, Facebook and YouTube to stay up to date on all of the news, updates and coverage of Indiana University athletics. You can also listen to the Talking’ Bout the Hoosiers podcast on Spotify.

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Indiana Basketball Recruiting Visit Primer: Trent Sisley, Aleks Alston, Azavier Robinson

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2025 four-star forward Trent Sisley from an unofficial visit to Indiana. (Photo Credit: Trent Sisley Instagram)

Indiana basketball continues it’s busy month of recruiting visits with over 10 total confirmed prospects expected to be on campus, both officially and unofficially, in the month of September.

Mike Woodson and Indiana basketball have already had three big recruiting weekends in September starting with 2025 prospects Jalen Haralson (five-star) Darius Adams (five-star), Malachi Moreno (four-star)….followed by the 2024 Montverde Academy trio of Liam McNeeley (five-star), Derik Queen (five-star), Curtis Givens (four-star)….and most recently 2025 in-state guard Braylon Mullins (four-star).

This weekend, the Indiana basketball staff welcomes key 2025, in-state forward target Trent Sisley (four-star) as well as Aleks Alston (four-star) and in-star guard Azavier Robinson (three-star).

All three are expected to be in attendance for Indiana football’s week four matchup vs Akron.

More: Down to Indiana basketball & Kansas, five-star Liam McNeeley goes into decision mode

This continues to be key month for Indiana basketball in terms of recruiting with them looking to build their 2024 and 2025 classes, which currently has zero names committed to the program as of yet.

Below is a breakdown of each player.

Trent Sisley

Out of the three 2025 prospects that are visiting this weekend, 6-foot-7 forward Trent Sisley is a player that Indiana fans know most about as he has already made numerous unofficial visits to Indiana in the past year.

2025 four-star forward Trent Sisley is ranked as the No. 53 player in the 2025 247Sports Composite Rankings. He averaged 13.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game playing up for Indy Heat 17U on the Nike EYBL circuit this past spring/summer. He shot an outstanding 58.0% (91-of-157) from the field which included 44.7% (21-of-47) from three.

Sisley recently announced that he will be playing for Indiana Elite as part of the Adidas 3SSB Circuit next AAU season with fellow 2025 Indiana basketball targets Dezmon BrisoceMalachi Moreno and Braylon Mullins.

Mike Woodson and the Indiana basketball staffed extended an offer to Trent Sisley, as well fellow 2025 target Jalen Haralson, before he even played a single high school game. Sisley, who attends Heritage Hills High School (Lincoln City, IN), has built a strong relationship with the Indiana basketball program ever since. Assistant coach Brian Walsh has been the leader of this recruitment for awhile now.

“Yeah it’s good,” Sisley told HoosierIllustrated.com earlier this summer. “Talk to my guy B-Walsh (Brian Walsh) a lot so that’s good. See all the assistants out on the circuit too a lot.”

Sisley is an extremely versatile power forward that can play both the wing and post very consistently. He is very good about knocking down the outside jumper while also having the ability to take his defender off the dribble and score through contact. This past high school season, Sisley proved to be one of the top scorers in the state which translated well into this past AAU season. He has proven that he can be a threat both in the post and at the wing on both offense and defense.

The Indiana basketball staff has been on the road the past couple of weeks with both Mike Woodson and Brian Walsh making in-home visit to see Sisley. As of right now, schools such Purdue, Notre Dame, Michigan State, Northwestern, Wisconsin and Iowa seem to be the most involved with the elite, versatile forward.

Watch: 2025 Forward Trent Sisley Spring Highlights

Aleks Alston

Alston is the newest player on Indiana basketball’s recruiting radar out of three prospects that are visiting this weekend as the Hoosiers offered him just this past April. Alston, a 6-foot-9 power forward, attends Kenwood Academy in Chicago, Illinois.

Along with Indiana basketball, schools such as Tennessee, Oklahoma, Iowa, Illinois, Georgia, Oregon, New Mexico State, Western Illinois, Bradley, Georgia Tech, Georgetown, Loyola-Chicago, Arizona State, Tulsa, California, and others are involved with the four-star forward.

Alston played for Mac Irvin Fire 16U as part of the Nike EYBL circuit this past AAU season where averaged 7.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. He also shot 32.3% from the field.

“Alston is one of those guys that could really be a number of positions, but we see him as a new age four man that can handle the ball on the perimeter, pass it as well as any guard in the class, and also shoot spot up threes at a high rate,” Prep Hoops Senior Scouting Director Scott Burgess said. “His value comes in his size and skill combination which are very impressive for a young prospect.”

In the 2025 247Sports Composite Rankings, Alston was slotted at No. 74 overall.

Azavier Robinson

Even though there has not been an official offer that has been extended, Azavier Robinson has been one the Indiana basketball radar for awhile now. His return unofficial visit will be the second reported visit he has taken to Indiana. Brian Walsh is the leader of this recruitment and recently made an in-home visit to see Robinson this past week.

He is ranked as a three-star prospect and No. 131 in the 2025 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Robinson attends Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, which is the same school that current Indiana basketball shooting guard CJ Gunn went to. As a sophomore at Lawrence North, Robinson averaged 20.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.6 steals per game. This season, he expected to lead Lawrence North as one of the favorites to win the Class 4A State Championship.

He is a lightening quick guard that can score at all three levels of the floor. When it comes to getting past the defender and getting to the basket, Robinson’s speed and on-ball skills are a major advantage of his. He is a highly athletic player and is so explosive off the dribble and just overall has elite playmaking ability right now.

Along with Indiana, other schools involved with Robinson include Kansas, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Louisville, Texas, Wake Forest, NC State, Oklahoma, West Virginia TCU, UCF, Oklahoma State, Arizona State, Butler, St. Johns and among many others.

SEE ALSO: Down to Indiana basketball & Kansas, five-star Liam McNeeley goes into decision mode

Make sure to follow Hoosier Illustrated on Twitter @Indiana_FRN, Facebook and YouTube to stay up to date on all of the news, updates and coverage of Indiana University athletics. You can also listen to the Talking’ Bout the Hoosiers podcast on Spotify.

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Indiana Basketball: Mike Woodson spends Tuesday at OTE Pro day as one recruiting target stands out

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Tyler Jackson, Indiana basketball
2025 Indiana basketball target Tyler Jackson was among the standouts at the OTE Pro Day on Tuesday as Mike Woodson watched on.

With the open recruiting calendar, the Indiana basketball staff has been on the road for the majority of the last week. That continued on Tuesday as Mike Woodson and his staff were at a signifiant recruiting event, according to reports.

Overtime Elite hosted its Pro Day on Tuesday, containing scouts from nearly every NBA team as well as a handful of high-major college coaches. 27 players were part of the event and took place in drills and scrimmages.

Among the Indiana basketball targets who play for Overtime Elite are 2025 five-star prospects Tyler Jackson, Mikel Brown Jr and Bryson Tiller.

Jackson and Brown are entering their first season with OTE.

Among the standouts by numerous recruiting analysts was Jackson. The five-star guard has emerged as one of the best playmakers in the 2025 class over the last few months.

Jackson played for Team Thrill in the 16U division and helped lead the program to a title on the Under Armor Circuit. He was terrific down the stretch, scoring 39, 36 and 31 points in that order en route to the championship. He averaged 24.0 points per game in the final session (seven games) and shot 42 percent from the floor. He played one event up with the 17U level, playing alongside current 2024 Indiana basketball target, five-star Derik Queen.

In his one session on the Nike EYBL circuit, Jackson averaged 30.0 points per game and shot 50.6 percent from the field and 50 percent (17-of-34) from three. He scored 30+ points in three of his four games, having scoring totals of 30, 36 and 39 points.

Jackson received an offer from the Indiana basketball program last week. He is ranked the No. 16 overall prospect in the 2025 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Jackson continued that playmaking and scoring ability on Tuesday as numerous national scouts came away impressed with his performance.

Here’s what a few of them had to say:

ESPN National Recruiting Analyst Paul Biancardi: “Best playmaker. Pushes the pace. Knows how to create and find others. Passes well in open floor or tight spaces.”

On3.com National Analyst Jamie Shaw: “There is a flair that comes with Jackson’s game. He plays with a lot of confidence, able to get to any spot on the floor and rise up for a jumper. When he is at his best, he can be a true three-level scorer.”

The Athletic Analyst Tobias Bass: “Very poised and can get anywhere on the floor when he wants. He was the most consistent player in the gym.”

SEE ALSO: Down to Indiana basketball & Kansas, five-star Liam McNeeley goes into decision mode

Make sure to follow Hoosier Illustrated on Twitter @Indiana_FRN, Facebook and YouTube to stay up to date on all of the news, updates and coverage of Indiana University athletics. You can also listen to the Talking’ Bout the Hoosiers podcast on Spotify.

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