NBA Draft Preview: Indiana basketball star Kel’el Ware set to be newest Hoosier in NBA

Indiana basketball center Kel’el Ware is expected to be the next Hoosier selected in the first round of the NBA Draft.

In his one year at Indiana, Ware averaged 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.9 blocks per game in 30 appearances. He started every game he appeared in and was an All-Big Ten Second Team selection.

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.

Ware, a projected late lottery to late first round selection, worked out for 16 teams ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft.

Below is the full release from Indiana basketball and additional information about Ware throughout the pre-draft process.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – For the first time since the National Basketball Association shortened the annual draft to two rounds, the event will take place over two nights. Round one will take place at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 26, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, and the second round at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 27, at ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in Manhattan.

Kel’el Ware, an All-Big Ten Second Team selection, averaged team highs in points (15.9 per game), rebounds (9.9), and blocked shots (1.9). He became the third Hoosier in the last 25 seasons (D.J. White, Trayce Jackson-Davis) to average at least 15.0 points and 9.0 rebounds for a season. Ware shot 58.6% (188-of-321) from the floor and 42.5% (17-of-40) from the 3-point line. The Big Ten All-Defensive Team honoree added a team-best 15 double-doubles to go along with 19 multi-block contests. The North Little Rock, Ark., native measured 6’11.75″ with a 7’4.5″ wingspan and a 9’4.5″ standing reach. All three figures ranked top-5 of all participants in the Draft Combine.

The Indiana men’s basketball program ranks seventh among all Division I programs with 27 players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft since its inception in 1947. The Hoosiers rank third among Big Ten teams in first-round picks and are one of six conference schools with at least 20 first-round selections.

Indiana basketball has produced two No. 1 overall picks, tied for third in the NCAA. In total, IU has had 79 players selected in the NBA Draft.

Trending: Kel’el Ware went back to basics at IU — doing ‘the little things’ & ‘the right things’ unlocking his potential. Up next is the NBA, looking to prove himself even more

Indiana Basketball Players Selected in the First Round of the NBA Draft

First Overall
Walt Bellamy, Chicago, 1961
Kent Benson, Milwaukee, 1977

Second Overall
Archie Dees, Cincinnati, 1958
Scott May, Chicago, 1976
Isiah Thomas, Detroit, 1981
Victor Oladipo, Orlando, 2013

Fourth Overall
Cody Zeller, Charlotte, 2013

Sixth Overall
Calbert Cheaney, Washington, 1993

Seventh Overall
Quinn Buckner, Milwaukee, 1976
Eric Gordon, Los Angeles Clippers, 2008

Eighth Overall
Ward Williams, Fort Wayne, 1948

Ninth Overall
Noah Vonleh, Charlotte, 2014

11th Overall
Bob Wilkerson, Seattle, 1976
Jared Jeffries, Washington, 2002

12th Overall
Mike Woodson, New York, 1980

14th Overall
Romeo Langford, Boston, 2019

16th Overall
Alan Henderson, Atlanta, 1995
Kirk Haston, Charlotte, 2001

17th Overall
Steve Downing, Boston, 1973
Uwe Blab, Dallas, 1985
Greg Graham, Charlotte, 1993
Jalen Hood-Schifino, Los Angeles Lakers, 2023

18th Overall
Ray Tolbert, New Jersey, 1981

22nd Overall
Randy Wittman, Washington, 1983

23rd Overall
OG Anunoby, Toronto, 2017

27th Overall
Brian Evans, Orlando, 1995

29th Overall
D.J. White, Detroit, 2008

Kel’el Ware NBA Combine Measurements

Height without shoes: 6’11.75″ (3rd among centers)

Weight: 230

Hand length (inches): 9.50″ (t-4th)

Hand width (inches): 10.25″ (t-2nd)

Standing reach: 9’4.5″ (3rd)

Wingspan: 7’4.5″ (5th)

Testing

Lane agility: 10.97 seconds (2nd)

Shuttle run: 2.91 seconds (2nd)

Three quarter sprint: 3.29 seconds (9th)

Standing vertical leap: 32.5″ (5th)

Max vertical leap: 36.0 (t-3rd)

Shooting

Off dribble college break left: 53.3% (8th)

On the move college: 36.% (11th)

College corner left: 44.% (t-10th)

Key Quotes

NBA Scout to HoosierIllustrated: “He figured out how to be on the court and stay consistent, not just with the flashy plays but doing all the little things to help the team win. Like rolling hard every time even if you don’t get the ball but creates some room for somebody else. He did a nice job protecting the rim this year, did a good job rebounding. Some of the not so flashy things. Like at Oregon he may hit a three or block a shot and then get taken out and leave people wondering why. I thought he did a nice job playing the game and doing the right things more often.”

NBA Scout to HoosierIllustrated: “He has great natural touch around the basket and even with his jump shot. With his big catch radius and size he’s going to have an advantage in the NBA in those short roller type situations where he’s going to have to hit a floater or finish over the top of a help side defender. That’s going to be his bread and butter.”

NBA Scout to HoosierIllustrated: “I think he did (changed the narrative). He had a really nice season and answered a lot of questions coming from his Oregon days.”

ESPN’s Jonathan Givony: “Ware is a bouncy finisher who runs like a guard, shoots the 3 with promising mechanics and even has some coordination and skill with the ball. Talent was never a concern, but he still has questions to answer regarding his tenacity and awareness on both ends of the floor, something he did a good job of addressing last season.”

Mike Woodson: “Well, it’s the second effort. When we first got him, that didn’t even exist in terms of him making second and third efforts to try to go get the basketball. A lot of it was he just hadn’t been taught and pushed to do it. I mean, it’s like night and day from the time we got him to where he is today in terms of going hard and understanding that you just can’t take possessions off.”

Kel’el Ware: “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. I owe a lot to Coach Woodson and the entire coaching staff, Coach Yasir, Coach Kenya and Coach Brian.”

Mock Composite Projections

Photo Credit: @andreweatherman

SEE ALSO: As Indiana basketball standout Kel’el Ware takes the next step in his journey with the NBA Draft this week, he’s not ready to just check a box — ‘Still more to prove’