Indiana basketball center Kel’el Ware named to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award watchlist

The Indiana basketball program landed a big time transfer from former five-star center Kel’el Ware this offseason and entering this year, he has high expectations nationally.

On Friday, the 7-footer was named to the preseason watchlist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award — given to the top center in the nation.

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

Ware is projected as a first-round draft pick in next summer’s NBA Draft.

Below is the full release from the Indiana basketball program.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the preseason watchlist for the 2024 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, including Indiana sophomore center Kel’el Ware, on Friday.

Named after Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the annual honor, in its 10th year, recognizes the top center in men’s college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.

Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, in each of the three rounds starting today. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2024 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee, where a winner will be selected.

Previous winners of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award are Zach Edey, Purdue (2023), Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky (2022), two-time winner Luka Garza, Iowa (2020-21), Ethan Happ, Wisconsin (2019), Angel Delgado, Seton Hall (2018), Przemek Karnowski, Gonzaga (2017), Jakob Poeltl, Utah (2016) and Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin (2015).

Ware, a transfer from Oregon, averaged 6.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per contest in his lone season in Eugene. He shot 45.7% (85-of-186) from the floor, 27.3% (15-of-55) from the 3-point line, and 71.2% (47-of-66) from the free throw line.

The North Little Rock, Ark., native compiled a four-day stretch of a season-high 18 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and one block in his first career start against eventual national champion UConn, 17 points, nine rebounds, one steal, and one block against Michigan State, and 13 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks against Villanova in late November. He posted a total of eight double-figure scoring games and blocked at least one shot in 27-of-35 outings.

The Indiana Hoosiers will begin the 2023-24 season with an exhibition contest against Indianapolis on Oct. 29. The regular season will start at 6:30 p.m. ET on Nov. 7 against Florida Gulf Coast at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

2023-24 KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR AWARD PRESEASON CANDIDATES*
Aaron Bradshaw, Kentucky
Aday Mara, UCLA
Armando Bacot, UNC
Aziz Bandaogo, Cincinnati
Branden Carlson, Utah
Clifford Omoruyi, Rutgers
Dawson Garcia, Minnesota
Donovan Clingan, UConn
Eric Dixon, Villanova
Hunter Dickinson, Kansas
Jamarian Sharp, Ole Miss
Jesse Edwards, West Virginia
Joel Soriano, St. John’s
Johni Broome, Auburn
Jordan Brown, Memphis
Kel’el Ware, Indiana
N’Faly Dante, Oregon
Oumar Ballo, Arizona
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
Zach Edey, Purdue

*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2022-23 season

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