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Heir apparent or immediate impact? NBA Draft 2024 projections for Indiana basketball’s Kel’el Ware

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Heir apparent or immediate impact? NBA Draft 2024 projections for Indiana basketball’s Kel’el Ware

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Kel’el Ware made a big leap in his one season with Indiana basketball, showing an inside-outside offensive game, a shot-blocking presence and — perhaps most importantly — staying engaged through struggles to become an All-Big Ten performer.

The 2024 NBA Draft is Wednesday and Thursday, and Ware expects to hear his name called in the first round.

According to these projections, Ware could be taken as the heir apparent big man in Milwaukee or New York, or a team could take him earlier with expectations of him contributing immediately.

Lessons learned: Ware says Mike Woodson prepared him for NBA draft chance

Where will Kel’el Ware be drafted?

▶ Krysten Peek, Yahoo: 23rd, by the Bucks

“Ware is far from a finished product, but he made some huge strides at Indiana after his freshman year at Oregon. He’s so talented at his size and with his footwork in the paint, but some teams question his motor, leaving him as a possible steal in the 20s.”

▶ Andy Patton, College Sports Wire: 11th, to the Bulls

“Ware may seem like a reach here, but he’s a nice fit in Chicago due to his outside shooting and rim protecting skills. After acquiring Josh Giddey, the Bulls won’t be after some of the young point guards still on the board, and Ware is the big that makes the most sense in the Windy City.”

▶ Sam Vecenie, The Athletic: 23rd, by the Bucks

“Ware ticks the box of a drop-coverage big they could develop under Brook Lopez’s tutelage for a year before hopefully giving him more playing time to become an effective NBA player. He needs to work on bringing the same defensive intensity on every possession, but his tools are elite at 7-foot with a near 7-5 wingspan. If he hits under Doc Rivers, it would be an enormous win for the organization to solve a potential problem down the road at the center spot.”

▶ Bryan Kalbrosky, For The Win: 23rd, by the Bucks

“Especially after he dominated during measurements and athletic testing at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine, the Milwaukee Bucks are expected to take a serious look at Indiana sophomore big man Kel’el Ware.

“Ware is a 7-footer who shot 57.1% on all catch-and-shoot jumpers, via Stats Perform, which is among the best of any player who made the latest consensus big board.”

▶ Michael Scotto, Hoops Hype: 19th, by the Raptors

“Despite having centers Jakob Poeltl, Kelly Olynyk and Chris Boucher, who can also play the position, Toronto has repeatedly been linked to Kel’el Ware, who would become the center of the future after improving his stock arguably more than any player in college basketball.”

▶ Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times: 23rd, by the Knicks

“He’s a shot-blocking big who showed he can step out and make shots last season with the Hoosiers. The Knicks could use the shooting and depth at the rim.”

▶ Zach Buckley, Bleacher Report: 24th, by the Celtics (trade)

“Boston swaps out a current and future second for the chance to climb six picks and add Ware, an athletic 7-footer who might become a rim-running big with 3-point touch.”

▶ Kyle Boone, CBS Sports: 25th, by the Knicks

“New York may look to add at the center position here with Isaiah Hartenstein headed to free agency. Ware has a nice pedigree as a former five-star who broke out at Indiana last season, averaging 15.9 points, 1.9 blocks and shooting 42.5% from 3.”

When is the 2024 NBA draft? What channel is the NBA draft on?

First round: June 26 (Wednesday), 8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN

Second round: June 27 (Thursday), 4 p.m. ET, ESPN

2024 NBA Draft order

First round

  1. Hawks
  2. Wizards
  3. Rockets (via Nets)
  4. Spurs
  5. Pistons
  6. Hornets
  7. Trail Blazers
  8. Spurs (via Raptors)
  9. Grizzlies
  10. Jazz
  11. Bulls
  12. Thunder
  13. Kings
  14. Trail Blazers (via Warriors)
  15. Heat
  16. 76ers
  17. Lakers
  18. Magic
  19. Raptors (via Pacers)
  20. Cavaliers
  21. Pelicans (via Bucks)
  22. Suns
  23. Bucks (via Pelicans)
  24. Knicks (via Mavericks)
  25. Knicks
  26. Wizards (via Clippers)
  27. Timberwolves
  28. Nuggets
  29. Jazz (via Thunder)
  30. Celtics

Second round

  1. (31 overall) Raptors (via Pistons)
  2. (32) Jazz (via Wizards)
  3. (33) Bucks (via Trail Blazers)
  4. (34) Trail Blazers (via Hornets)
  5. (35) Spurs
  6. (36) Pacers (via Raptors)
  7. (37) Timberwolves (via Grizzlies)
  8. (38) Knicks (via Jazz)
  9. (39) Grizzlies (via Nets)
  10. (40) Trail Blazers (via Hawks)
  11. (41) 76ers (via Bulls)
  12. (42) Hornets (via Rockets)
  13. (43) Heat
  14. (44) Rockets (via Warriors)
  15. (45) Kings
  16. (46) Clippers (via Pacers)
  17. (47) Magic
  18. (48) Spurs (via Lakers)
  19. (49) Pacers (via Cavaliers)
  20. (50) Pacers (via Pelicans)
  21. (52) Wizards (via Suns)
  22. (52) Warriors (via Bucks)
  23. (53) Pistons (via Knicks)
  24. (54) Celtics (via Mavericks)
  25. (55) Lakers (via Clippers)
  26. (56) Nuggets (via Timberwolves)
  27. (57) Grizzlies (via Thunder)
  28. (58) Mavericks (via Celtics)
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