Indiana is going to be back in offseason roster building mode sooner than many expected.
Who will be leading those efforts for IU has become a popular topic of conversation lately, but irrespective of the answer to the question, it’s time to take a look at where IU players are projecting in the 2024 NBA Draft after several updates by national outlets this week.
The player to watch on Indiana’s roster is obviously sophomore Kel’el Ware. The 7-foot center is averaging 15.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.7 blocks for IU while shooting 56.7 percent from the field overall, including 43.3 percent from three (on 30 attempts).
It’s that latter figure, Ware’s ability to make perimeter shots, along with his relatively thin frame, that makes him potentially a better fit for the NBA than high-major college basketball. So it seems more likely than not Ware will place his name in the Draft in the coming weeks.
Ware appears to be a lock to be Indiana’s third NBA Draft choice in the last two years, following Jalen Hood-Schifino and Trayce Jackson-Davis a year ago. But he is not trending towards becoming a lottery pick, and at least in the eyes of some observers, Ware could fall to the second round.
In an update this week, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo project Ware will be chosen by New Orleans in the first round with the 24th pick in June.
Draft projections this week by Yahoo! (No. 19), SBNation (No. 19), and On3 (No. 24) also predict Ware will be chosen in the first round.
But the Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, a respected voice when it comes to the Draft, projects in an update posted this week, Ware will fall to the second round and be the No. 43 overall pick.
CBS Sports’ update this week also does not include Ware in their first round projection.
Ware’s fellow Indiana frontcourt mates Mackenzie Mgbako and Malik Reneau do not appear in any of the mock drafts at this time.
Hailing from North Little Rock, Ark., Ware was widely thought to be a one-and-done prospect when he committed to Oregon prior to the 2022-23 campaign. Before that season, the McDonald’s All-American was projected by many to be drafted in the first round of the 2023 Draft.
But Ware played just 15.8 minutes per game at Oregon as a freshman and averaged 6.6 points. He put his name in the transfer portal in search of an opportunity to enhance his draft outlook.
After Trayce Jackson-Davis’ first team All-American senior season at IU and departure to the NBA, Ware transferred to Indiana.
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