Indiana's Kel'el Ware Projected First-Round Pick in 2024 NBA Draft
A 2024 NBA Mock Draft by Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report on April 22 projected Indiana center Kel'el Ware to be selected No. 18 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Following his lone season at Indiana, Kel'el Ware is off to the NBA.
The 7-foot, 242-pound center earned All-Big Ten second team honors for the Hoosiers after averaging 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 1.5 assists per game. He shot an efficient 58.6% from the field and made 17-of-40 3-point attempts, good for 42.5%.
The 2024 NBA Draft Combine is quickly approaching on May 12-19 in Chicago, though the draft is not until June 26-27 in Brooklyn, N.Y.
In a 2024 NBA mock draft published by Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report on April 22, Ware was projected to be taken No. 18 overall by the New Orleans Pelicans. Wasserman listed Ware's pro comparison as the Milwaukee Bucks' 7-foot-1 center Brook Lopez, a 16-year NBA veteran with one All-Star appearance, 2021 NBA champion and a two-time NBA All-Defensive team member.
"It seems like Kel'el Ware could only rise during a predraft process that will highlight his outstanding measurements, athleticism and comfort level shooting threes," Wasserman wrote. "Though he struggled during Indiana's finale and loss to Nebraska, he mostly had a strong last two months in terms of scoring and impact. Narratives that point out empty stats or low-impact production have lost steam. He delivered more consistently in one-on-one situations around the basket while also flashing bonus shotmaking touch and range that create more offensive upside."
Around the Big Ten, the two-round mock draft also included Illinois' Terrence Shannon Jr. at No. 17, Purdue's Zach Edey at No. 23, Minnesota freshman Cam Christie at No. 45, Iowa's Payton Sandfort at No. 49 and Illinois' Coleman Hawkins at No. 54.
Ware has a chance to become the 28th Indiana Hoosier taken in the first round of the NBA Draft and the seventh since 2013, joining Jalen Hood-Schifino, Romeo Langford, OG Anunoby, Noah Vonleh, Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller.
