The Continued Evolution of Kel'el Ware

Indiana's Kel'el Ware is a much different player than he was a year ago. The possibility of continued evolution makes him an enticing prospect.

Evolution

Regardless of the medium, it’s important to keep evolving. Sometimes that goes well, and other times it doesn’t.

As a pro wrestling fan, I’ve taken tremendous joy in watching Swerve Strickland become one of the best performers in the industry. I first watched him on the indie scene over a decade ago (CZW in 2012, for the wrestling sickos who care), where he was a run-of-the-mill highflier with positive athletic traits and a respectable amount of charisma. Then, he went on to the Lucha Underground promotion, where under the masked “Killshot” persona, he added a newfound layer of intensity to his performances. After his time there, he went back to being Swerve Strickland, continued to fill out his frame, and developed his speaking skills before heading to WWE. After a stint there as Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, he went to AEW, where the entirety of his act clicked. His matches routinely steal the show, he’s a force to be reckoned with on the microphone, and his unique entrance (featuring a song performed by him!) always gets the crowd on their feet. He became one of the company’s most popular performers, and they rewarded him by making him their world champion.

That’s the CliffNotes version of it, but the layers to his story shouldn’t go overlooked. Initially, Swerve was talented, but there was nothing that truly set him apart. He had to re-invent himself several times along the way. His technical in-ring acumen improved. He became more charismatic and formed connections with the audience more easily. His entrance is unmistakable. His intensity bled into every facet of his performances, making me as a viewer feel like I couldn’t take my eyes off him for a single second in case I missed something unexpected. “Good athlete with some charisma” is a solid starting point for a professional wrestler, but he went from being that to being an irreplaceable entity.

But evolution is not always easy. Just ask JoJo Siwa. Oh, you didn’t expect a pro wrestling and a JoJo Siwa tidbit at the start of a basketball article? First off, get you a man who can do both. Secondly, I swear this is going somewhere. JoJo Siwa rose to prominence after being on a bunch of those TV shows where parents yell at their kids to do dances better. Then, she made music that was marketed toward children. She had an incredibly popular line of hair bow accessories. My nieces were obsessed with her and I bought them several JoJo Siwa-related birthday gifts over the years. But at a certain point, child stars have to take the next step. Justin Timberlake went from being the baby-faced boy band kid to the guy who brought sexy back. Miley Cyrus went from Hannah Montana to being one of music’s most eccentric, provocative, and enigmatic acts. JoJo Siwa is…struggling.

If you really want to dive in, these YouTube video essays by Gabi Belle and Patrick Cc will offer a more thorough breakdown of the situation. But the crux of it is this—Siwa talked up that she was going to do an edgy rebrand. It’s falling extremely flat. No one buys it. She comes across more like a kid playing an eccentric badass than someone who is an eccentric badass. It feels like someone trying to capture the lightning in a bottle that Miley Cyrus caught around 2013 but in an entirely manufactured, inauthentic way. This was made worse after she had to publicly acknowledge that she didn’t write her first two singles under this new persona. In fact, they were originally written for two different performers. The whole thing already felt like an act, and performing songs written by someone else for someone else didn’t help that perception.

These parallels exist in basketball, too. Players have to continue to change, develop, and stay ahead of the curve. Kel’el Ware has learned that the hard way, but still found success. That doesn’t mean it’s the end of the road, though.

Background

Kel’el Ware was a highly touted recruit. He was ranked as the sixth-best prospect in the 2022 high school class via the RSCI metric. He was 7’0” and mobile, and he’d gone blow for blow with Dereck Lively during the McDonald’s All-American game. One-and-done expectations were thrust upon Ware as a result. He spent his freshman season at Oregon where things went…weird.

It would be disingenuous to say that Ware had a bad season, but he didn’t have the season that evaluators were hoping to see. His role fluctuated constantly, as did his production. On 11/24/2022, he played 26 minutes against eventual national champion UConn, posting 18 points, nine rebounds, and two assists. A few weeks later, on 12/14/2022, he had a 10-minute, two-point outing against UC Riverside. In February, he had a stretch where he played nine minutes across three games. Then during the conference tournament and NIT play, Ware started to get more playing time again. The stop-start nature of his playing time and his shaky statistical output were tough to get a grasp on. Still, there was NBA interest. His BPM of 7.0 was nothing to sneeze at, and it’s tough to find guys with his blend of length and speed.

After the season concluded, Ware ultimately decided to return for a second college season. This time, however, he would be playing for Indiana. The Hoosiers didn’t have the best season in the world, going 19-14 and missing the NCAA Tournament. But Ware was a bright spot. He was unequivocally the team’s best player. No longer were his minutes a “take a guess” predicament from night to night. Instead, he was their starting center and second on the team in MPG. He improved as a finisher, rebounder, and passer while showing a much more consistent level of defensive engagement. He evolved. Let’s dig into the nuts and bolts of Ware’s game, his evolution, and the future evolutions that still may come.

Finishing

I love getting into the minutia of a player’s game. There’s something to be said for analyzing a prospect’s microskills to identify potential areas for untapped upside. But it remains critical that as evaluators, we keep the bigger picture in mind at all times. Young players who are getting their first minutes are rarely tasked with big responsibilities, nor are they at liberty to show off the depth of their bag. They’re going to be asked to do the simple things. When an NBA team is putting a center on the floor, one of the biggest things that they want is for said center to be able to put the ball in the basket when they’re near the basket. Ware has a lot of flashy, intriguing tools to get excited about, but it’s important to acknowledge first and foremost that he can do the most basic thing—finish plays. He converted 70% of his halfcourt rim attempts this past season.

Ware’s finishing is helped by his outstanding physical tools and athleticism. Standing 6’11.75” barefoot with a 9’4.5” standing reach and boasting a 36” max vertical, Kel’el Ware is a tremendous lob target. There’s functionality to his athleticism, as he’s quick off the floor and doesn’t need to load up to get above the rim. His 63 dunks this past season ranked ninth in Division I, per BartTorvik. Ware’s bounce and large hands enable him to sky over defenders for putbacks on the offensive glass, too. What’s more, Ware showed increased strength and toughness around the cup this year. At Oregon, he’d struggled through contact, coming up below the rim and often losing his touch. As a result, he only converted 46.8% of his hook shots and lay-ups in the halfcourt. This year, he boosted that number to 56.6%. He’s still slender, and he still gets bumped around more than I’d like, but he’s on the right track. Being able to roll to the basket and dunk the ball isn’t the most exciting element of Kel’el Ware’s game, but it’s a critical element that should help him get on the floor.

While I doubt a team will be bringing in Kel’el Ware to run post offense through him in Year One, Ware is a skilled post player. Per Synergy, he ranked in the 87th percentile on post-ups last season. Ware’s long arms, buttery touch, and ambidexterity help him to finish over smaller opponents. He’ll need to continue to grow stronger in order to punish shorter opponents more easily. Still, even without an overwhelming power advantage, Ware is able to shoot over the top of defenders and convert on the block and in the mid-post. He’s not Hakeem, but Ware does have a few counters at his disposal. He also boasts a strong understanding of the defender’s weight and momentum, enabling him to generate looks when overplayed to one side. Again, this won’t be Ware’s main thing, especially out of the gate, but it’s great that he has it.

Shooting

Again, it’s really important for center prospects to be able to finish inside. But that ability is still relatively common among prospects in draftable range. What differentiates Ware is that there’s a real chance he may develop into a floor spacer too.

Ware hit 42.5% of his triples this past season. There’s reason to be skeptical—he sort of shoots it off his palm, he only made 63.4% of his free throws, and he only took 1.3 threes per game. Still, that percentage and volume are highly encouraging for a big man prospect. Even including his numbers at Oregon, his college career mark of 33.7% from long range on 3.7 attempts per 100 possessions puts him comfortably ahead of most big men entering the NBA. His high release is difficult to impede, and his mere willingness to take a three adds a complicating wrinkle into things for defenders in DHO and ball screen actions.

Passing

Speaking of DHOs and ball screen actions, there’s some passing juice to Ware’s game, too. His 9.9 AST% is a solid mark for a young big, but it’s the tape that pops. He’s able to make cross-court deliveries from the mid-post, serve up short roll dishes, and fire off dimes to cutters from the top of the key. These are precisely the types of passes NBA centers are required to make, and Ware showed it on film at a high-major program. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for centers who can’t move the ball effectively to earn NBA playing time, and Ware should be able to avoid that trap if nothing else. At best, he could blossom into something of a secondary offensive hub if his shot continues to progress in conjunction with his processing.

Driving

An area where I would love to see growth from Ware is his downhill attacking game. Ware showed that he can finish, shoot, and pass. Still, at times, it felt like his offensive game lacked a bit of cohesion. Right now, he doesn’t have the faceup polish of his “skilled big” peers Kyle Filipowski and DaRon Holmes II. In theory, Ware’s shooting gravity and blazing speed should allow him to punish closeouts and turn the corner in handoff actions. Unfortunately, we didn’t see much of that. I believe that the biggest issue for Ware here is his physical strength. It’s too for opponents to bump him off his line and disrupt his drive. He also needs to show increased awareness of off-ball defenders and keep his handle tighter. But when it looks good, it looks really good. As I’ve said before, Ware is fast, and he’s got real bounce to him. If he can tighten things up while putting on a little bit of mass, he could become one of the more dynamic offensive big men out there. I certainly wouldn’t bank on Ware becoming a Jumbo Kyrie Irving or anything, but if you’re going to envision higher-end outcomes, a functional driving element to his offense would be a part of it. If nothing else, a straight-line aspect of it feels attainable.

Rebounding

POP QUIZ TIME! You just had an awful day at work. You get home and you have nothing in the refrigerator. What are you going to do for dinner?

A) Order pizza

B) Drive through a fast-food place

C) Go to the grocery store and purchase the necessary ingredients for a lovely Bolognese from scratch, then go home and cook said lovely Bolognese from scratch.

Most people are going to pick options A or B. You’ve got to be a real workhorse to pick option C. But in a way, Ware did the basketball equivalent of picking option C this season. Don’t let the, “his motor comes and goes” talk fool you. Was that a fair criticism at Oregon? Sure. But this year, to be honest, I didn’t see much of it. One of the most obvious places this showed up was on the glass. Indiana was 10-10 in conference play this season. Despite being the team’s best player, I felt like I saw numerous games where Ware had a good first half, only for his guards to stop going to him in the second half. If you’re Kel’el Ware, that’s gotta suck! It would make me want to pack it up and take the rest of the night off. Still, he kept playing hard and fighting on the boards. As a star player, it would’ve been understandable for Ware to say “you’ve got to help me out with this less glamorous stuff.” But he didn’t.

Ware ended the season averaging 9.9 RPG. But what I love about Ware is that he actually got better in this respect as the year went along, even though he was clearly his team’s best player. His foot didn’t come off the gas. During the 2023 stretch of the season (12 games), Ware averaged 8.9 RPG. During 2024 (18 games), that number jumped to 10.5 RPG. His 7.9 ORB% is nothing to write home about, but it’s solid considering that he was on the perimeter a fair amount of the time. His DRB% of 26.0%, though, grades out very well for a big man prospect. Ware uses his length exceptionally well to get to balls that other players simply can’t grab.

There are going to need to be technical adjustments with regard to his rebounding at the next level. Strength issues show up here, too. He’ll also cede interior position far too often, relying on his ups and wingspan to get to the ball. That’s going to be harder to do at the next level. But Ware deserves real credit for his want-to, competitiveness, and production on the glass. For a player who has been knocked for his motor, he sure rebounds the hell out of the ball.

Rim Protection

Kel’el Ware is a capable rim protector. His 6.5 BLK% is a really solid mark for a center prospect. When he’s engaged, he’s got the foot speed to get into position quickly. The ease and potency of his lift enable him to soar and swat even high-arching shots. Even when he leaves his feet in error, his second jump still gives him a chance to bat the ball. He also held opponents to a meager 43.9% on halfcourt rim attempts. As I said with regard to Ware’s finishing, it’s important to stay grounded in the basics. There’s some fun upside stuff on this side of the ball, but it’s critical to start with the fact that Ware has the ability to stop opponents from scoring at the rim.

Still, I’m being careful with my word choice here. I used “capable” rim protector rather than “great” rim protector. Ware needs refinement in this respect. Far too often, his hand placement leaves a lot to be desired. His hands will be hanging below his waist even as an opposing driver is well into the paint. In pick-and-roll coverages, this gives more options to opposing guards and hinders Ware’s effectiveness. Rim attempts and floaters that he should be able to contest are left unattended. While he can get off the floor easily, too often he loads up with unnecessary depth prior to jumping, leading to mis-timed leaps that allow for opponents to get cleaner looks. His steal rate graded out poorly for a center, which seems surprising given his physical profile. That’s largely due to those issues with his timing and leveraging his length. Ware is going to need some time and reps to polish up his defensive acumen, particularly with regard to positioning in ball screen coverage as opponents get downhill.

With that being said, I think it’s important to contextualize where Ware stands in the midst of his evolution. Was his 6.5 BLK% this past season lower than the prior year’s 8.8? Yes. But on an eye-test level, I felt better about Ware as a defensive anchor this season. He was more attentive on a more consistent basis. He did a better job of staying down against fakes. It’s not just the eye test, either—numbers back it up, too. Using data from CBB Analytics, we can see that Indiana was much worse defensively without Ware on the floor. The Hoop-Explorer On/Off numbers show that during his freshman year at Oregon, that wasn’t the case. He might not be perfect out of the box, but he’s on the right path. When you consider the rare blend of physical tools he has, that’s quite meaningful.

On an Island

Part of the hope with Kel’el Ware is that if he does refine his defensive craft, he could become a scheme-versatile defender. He’s had some impressive moments in space. At his best, Ware can use his foot speed and length to wall off or swallow up opponents. Even if he finds himself a step behind, he has the recovery tools to get back in the play. His long wingspan and effortless pop also allow him to get a hand on perimeter and mid-range jump shots. This aspect of his game is still a bit theoretical—he can be too handsy, narrow, and upright. Stronger players can still find success pushing him backward. But on-ball defense is generally a skill that’s easier to improve with time and effort. Given Ware’s physical profile, it’s reasonable to envision him as a functional switching big man at some point.

Conclusion and Projection

I think Kel’el Ware has been misunderstood as a prospect. He’s a little better at the simple stuff than he gets credit for from his detractors. He finishes plays effectively, he rebounded the ball well, and he’s become a more consistent defender. The “low motor” tag didn’t match the game tape. Still, he’s a work in progress. He needs to get stronger and improve some of his defensive habits.

We are still in the early stages of Kel’el Ware’s basketball evolution. One year ago, he was inconsistent and inefficient. This year, a return to school for another season would’ve been a downright puzzling decision. He’s taken tremendous strides in several important areas. But heading into the NBA, the evolution can’t stop. He has to keep developing his game, further solidifying his strengths and patching up his problem areas. That’s true for every prospect. What makes Ware different is that his baseline physical tools provide him with a safety net.

Even better, they give him a runway to become a standout, valuable player. Shooting centers are coveted as it is, but it’s harder to find them with plus athletic traits. On defense, there’s a chance he could guard in multiple ball screen coverages, protect the rim, and rebound at a high level. That’s not an easy combination to find. Merge both ends of the court together, and there’s a skill set rarity predicament that should increase Ware’s draft stock. It’s going to take time, effort, and organizational structure for everything to come together, and there’s no guarantee that it will. But there’s a chance that it could. Even if it doesn’t gel perfectly, he should hang around the league for years to come. For that reason, Kel’el Ware should be a first round lock on draft night.