Things didn’t go as planned for former Oregon forward Kel’el Ware during his lone season in Eugene, leading him to enter the transfer portal this offseason. The five-star recruit is off to Bloomington, where he’ll join the Indiana Hoosiers for his sophomore season.
In this edition of Transfer Portal Profiles, we discuss Ware’s game and how he fits with Indiana heading into next season.
Career at Oregon
Ware committed to Oregon in 2021 and became the program’s second-highest-ranked basketball recruit of all time, behind current NBA player Bol Bol. He didn’t live up to the hype in Eugene, averaging 6.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per game. There were flashes of an incredibly high upside from the Arkansas native throughout his 35 appearances for the Ducks, showing teams that he would still be a hot commodity in the transfer portal.
Scouting Report
Ware is a mobile seven-footer who can score through many paint moves. He can work out of the post, drive the lane, or catch alley-oops against defenders who mostly don’t have a chance against his length and wingspan. Despite a brutal freshman season beyond the arc, he showed in high school that he could knock down threes and outside jumpers. If he can start converting those at the collegiate level, his game could take the next step in 2023-24.
The Fit with Indiana
With star big man Trayce Jackson-Davis heading to the NBA, Ware will be relied upon to fill his massive shoes in the frontcourt and become a legitimate paint presence for the Hoosiers. If head coach Mike Woodson can shape Ware into a more efficient player and get him into sets that match his strengths, he could take a serious leap in his sophomore campaign. He’ll also have to get in Ware’s ear about his effort if Oregon head coach Dana Altman’s criticism of his desire tells us anything.
Check out some of our other Transfer Portal Profiles: Kerr Kriisa, West Virginia | LJ Cryer, Houston | Walter Clayton Jr., Florida
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