Former IU basketball center Kel’el Ware listed as ‘most surprising’ pick of the 2024 NBA Draft

Former IU basketball center Kel’el Ware is officially off to the NBA after being selected just outside of the lottery with the No. 15 pick by the Miami Heat.

Ware is coming off a lone season playing for Mike Woodson and Indiana where he was one of the more dominant players in the entire landscape of college basketball with his 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 1.5 assists per game. His play last season earned him a spot on the All-Big Ten Second Team.

There was no question last season that when Ware officially decided to go off to the NBA, he was going to be one of the more high-upside prospects in the 2024 NBA Draft class. Still, even with that knowledge, there were still a few surprised experts and analysts out there that were a little shocked to see Ware go as high as he did as well as the Miami Heat opting to take him over other prospects.

“Kel’el Ware to the Miami Heat at No. 15,” ESPN writer Jonathan Givony wrote when asked who his most surprising NBA Draft pick was. “I get betting on talent and hoping that immersing him in Heat culture can get him to realize his full potential, but the fact they passed on Dalton Knecht at the same time wasn’t something I was expecting when they were on the clock. Ware’s combination of rim protection and floor spacing at 7-foot-1 might allow him to see some minutes alongside Bam Adebayo in supersized lineups.”

“He is going to be put through the Heat’s notorious conditioning program, and will show first he can maintain a much higher level of consistent intensity on both ends of the floor than he has to this point in his career.”

Watch: Kel’el Ware introductory press conference with Miami Heat

Kel’el Ware found his perfect fit in the Miami Heat

The Miami Heat are in the process of revamping there front court. They recently extended their star big man Bam Adebayo and are expected to bring back NBA veteran Kevin Love. The addition of Ware not only brings in more depth in the front court but also makes them more versatile and younger in that area.

Ware has the potential to be one of their key players for years to come given the talent and youth he brings to the Miami Heat in the front court. The questions of laziness and lack of motor should be a moot point now for the former IU basketball big man.

“I think that’s a low hanging fruit description of him. Kel’el is not that,” Heat assistant general manager Adam Simon said. “He went to Oregon and was playing behind an established player, an older player. He played in every game out there. Saw a better situation for himself to go to Indiana and I don’t think — he showed what he can do and played with a motor and played with intensity (at Indiana). We are talking about a young player that has an edge to him and he doesn’t feel like that description of him — he has shown that he is going to come out and put points on the board, block shots, he rebounds — to me that doesn’t seem like a player that fits that (lazy) description.”

“I think this is a perfect place for him and I think it’s a great match for Kel’el to maximize his skillset.”

Regardless of what the anyone thinks or if they are still surprised that Ware went as high as he did, the former IU basketball Hoosier is extremely blessed to be in the position that he is in with the Miami Heat organization.

“It was a surreal feeling,” Ware said after being drafted. “I mean, especially just sitting in that chair waiting, just to figure out which team was going to get me. For them to pick me, a lot of emotions were just going through me. I’m definitely blessed.

SEE ALSO: In a transfer portal and NIL era of college basketball, Kel’el Ware chose Indiana based on ‘right fit’

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