It’s been just one practice but former Indiana basketball center Kel’el Ware is already making a name for himself and impressing his teammates.
Cole Swider, Ware’s Miami Heat teammate, called the 7-footer a ‘physical monster’ with his play on the court following their first practice.
“Kel’el is a physical monster,” Swider said. “You can throw the ball anywhere and he’s going to catch and finish it.”
Ware, selected 15th overall in June’s NBA Draft, is coming off of a sophomore season with Indiana basketball where he averaged 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game in 32.2 minutes per game. His ability to dominate games was on display numerous times throughout the season. He had 10 20+ point games and five games with at least 25 points. He shot at least 70 percent in eight of his 20+ point games.
In Big Ten play alone, Kel’el 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.
He finished the season ranked second in the Big Ten in rebounds per game, third in rebound percent, fourth in player efficiency rating, fifth in blocks per game, sixth in block percentage, eighth in total box plus/minus and 11th in offensive rating.
Swider mentioned Dereck Lively as a player Ware reminded him of. Lively, like Ware, is an athletic and long center who is a tremendous shot blocker and rebounder. He is coming off of a rookie season averaging 8.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks for the Dallas Mavericks. He was critical in their path to making it to the NBA Finals.
“He’s got to get a little more weight on him, I think, for the NBA and the day-to-day grind that they have,” IU head coach Mike Woodson said. “But his skill set is there. He can make threes, but he’s got to get better and consistent with doing that. But I think the sky is the limit. The way Spo coaches and how he pushes guys to play at a high level, that’s what he needs. He couldn’t have picked a better organization than Miami.”
Ware’s first action in Summer League will be July 6 against the Golden State Warriors and former Indiana basketball center Trayce Jackson-Davis.
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