IU basketball’s All-Big Ten center Kel’el Ware declares for 2024 NBA draft
Indiana’s sophomore center, Kel’el Ware, has declared his intention to enter the 2024 NBA draft, as announced through his social media on Tuesday. This decision was widely anticipated following his remarkable performance for the Hoosiers, where he received second-team All-Big Ten honors. Ware expressed gratitude to Indiana and its fans on Instagram, acknowledging the opportunity to play for the team and thanking the coaching staff for their support and guidance.
With Ware’s departure, Indiana’s head coach Mike Woodson now faces the task of filling seven open scholarships for the upcoming 2024-25 season. Ware transferred to Indiana aiming to bolster his draft prospects after a challenging freshman year at Oregon, where concerns were raised about his effort level. Despite being initially projected as a first-round pick in the 2023 draft, his stock plummeted, but his transformative season at Indiana has reshaped the narrative surrounding his professional future.
Ware’s performance saw a significant improvement, with notable averages of 16.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game, along with impressive shooting percentages. His resurgence, particularly in rebounding, garnered attention from scouts, earning him a ranking as the 29th-best prospect in the upcoming draft by The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor. Despite finishing the season strongly, Ware admitted uncertainty about fully convincing scouts of his first-round potential following a disappointing loss in the Big Ten quarterfinals against Nebraska.
