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Former Oregon Duck and current Indiana Hoosiers center Kel'el Ware has flown relatively under the radar this year, but let that be a thing of the past now.
He remains a player with the DNA of an old school big in a modern basketball game, full of long-range shooting, which definitely helps his draft stock. Nevertheless, Ware is an intriguing big man prospect who should earn a second (or even third) look from NBA scouts. Let's explore his scouting report:
Kel'el Ware scouting report
Measurements
Ke'lel Ware measures seven-foot-zero, which isn't all that impressive for a big man until you learn his wingspan: a wide seven-foot-seven. He also weighs roughly 242 lbs, meaning he's not as lanky as he looks and can bang down low.
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Strengths
Out of everything he could do at the offensive end, the greatest asset Kel'lel Ware has is his rim protection.
His BPG average doesn't jump out at you (1.4 blocks/game for his career), but that only shows half of the entire picture. An excellent rim protector, he makes people think twice about trying to score on him down low.
Ware's timing on his blocks is excellent, but if an actual block isn't there, he will look to alter the shot and force a miss. That's clearly due to his long wingspan, allowing him to contest almost anything that can be tossed up at the hoop.
It won't matter if you're taller than him or have the finishing abilities of Kyrie Irving, you will have to alter your shot and be forced to take a far tougher one.
On offense, Ke'lel Ware is no slouch as well. In a modern basketball world where bigs are often turning heads for being stretch fives, he's among the last of a dying breed. He has a strong finishing ability and good hands at the dunker spot to catch lobs, combined with great positioning in the paint to avoid three-second calls.
Staying in the dunker spot gives him chances to grab offensive rebounds. Combine that with great instincts to get second-chance points, and he's far more valuable than a tall guy who dunks a lob pass. He can also perform an array of basic back-to-basket moves, which, mixed with his height and soft touch, are finished with great regularity.
While he's less dependable when forced to go outside, Ware can shoot a jumpshot, with range out to the three. He has a smooth, effortless jumper with a high release point that very few can alter or block.
Overall, he could be aa consistent double-double performer every night with the potential to be a 20-10 guy in the pros.
His defense can also stretch back out to the perimeter. Fortunately, he doesn't have to do that a lot, but his length alone is enough length to allow him to contest shots on the outside.
Weaknesses
Even at a listed bodyweight of 242 lbs, Ware tends to struggle defending opposing centers or power forwards with more mass than him. It could mean that somebody like Joel Embiid could just back him down and get him out of the way without spending too much effort.
They could also just stretch him out to the perimeter, where his effectiveness on defense decreases significantly. That's perhaps the weakest aspect of his game. In the NBA, somebody like a Giannis Antetokounmpo could take him off the dribble and dunk on the shorter guy left guarding the paint if Ware overhelps.
Moreover, on defense, Ke'lel Ware could foul a lot due to a relative lack of discipline, as he opts to try and block every shot instead of just trying to alter it and thinking of the block as a mere bonus.
Lastly, on offense, his post scoring is good, but his very basic array of post moves could quickly be taken out by skilled post defenders. In other words, he lacks a bag down low.
Once these moves are taken out and he's forced to put the ball on the floor, he could get stripped due to his sub-par handles, leading to quick outlet passes and easy baskets in transition for the opposing team.
Kel'el Ware draft projection
He's a potential first-round pick, as per Sports Illustrated. As a rim protector, the NBA teams that could use a potential double-double backup center like him are the Chartotte Hornets, Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics and the OKC Thunder.
However, Boston could be the best team to utilize his talent, considering that the aging Al Horford's best years are far behind. Ware could be a Time Lord 2.0 for them, minus the freakish athleticism but with the shot blocking abilities intact.
