Indiana University Athletics
Ware Brings a Do-It-All Mindset to the Hoosiers
10/25/2023 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Kel'el Ware is assessing. He's analyzing. He's contemplating what he will bring to Indiana basketball this season.
The answer comes with this Cream 'n Crimson reality -- Ware is a 7-foot sophomore rich in talent and potential, and if his thoughts suggests a touch of cockiness, that can be a very good thing in a rugged Big Ten.
"I'm long, athletic. I'm able to shoot the three and space out the floor. Not just go in the paint. I can block shots. I can do it all."
Do-it-all potential is why Oregon recruited this 5-star prospect out of Arkansas two years ago, why IU coach Mike Woodson recruited him last spring out of the transfer portal.
Woodson coaches to win, of course, but it's more than that. He also coaches to maximize his players' potential.
In Ware, he sees elite talent and inconsistent work ethic. Check that. He saw inconsistent work ethic. This is a new program, a new opportunity and Woodson pushes to make a difference.
"I'm not always the easiest coach to play for, but I'm in your corner and I'm fair and I want what's best for you and my ballclub," Woodson says. "He made the commitment to me, and I'm going to push him to play at a higher level to help us win."
Woodson made that clear while recruiting Ware.
"The word is out;" he told Ware. "They knocked you and said, 'Hey, you're lazy, you don't work hard.' If you make a commitment to me, that's got to change.
"When I recruited that young man I told him, you cannot go back and get what happened the year before. You can't."
Ware is fine with change, but he makes clear what was said wasn't necessarily reality.
"I just want to prove to everybody that they're wrong," Ware says. "Show everybody that I have a motor, that I can keep going on the court. People say that I'm lazy, and I can show them that I'm not lazy."
That he'll do it at IU is no accident. He saw what Woodson did for Trayce Jackson-Davis, helping the 6-9 forward become one of the nation's best players last season, and one of IU's best ever.
"I know Coach is going to get me to play hard," Ware says. "He got Jackson-Davis to play hard. I'm ready for him to push me to be the best player I can be."
Ware's high school career suggested one-and-done potential. He was a member of USA Basketball's 2022 FIBA U18 Americas Championship gold medal team. He was a McDonald's All-American. He was a 5-star, national top-10 prospect by every major recruiting service.
He was also a winner, helping North Little Rock High School win two Arkansas state titles, averaging 20.3 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 5.7 blocks as a senior.
Ware went to Oregon and things got complicated.
He was impressive in November, scoring a career-high 18 points with nine rebounds, two assists, and a block against eventual national champ UConn. He had 17 points, nine rebounds, one steal, and one block against Michigan State. He had 13 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks against Villanova.
Then things slowed down. He averaged 6.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks while starting four times and playing in 35 of the Ducks 36 games.
How tough was that first season?
"I wouldn't say it was tough physically," Ware says. "Mentally, it was tough. That type of mental challenge makes you stronger."
As for that not-working-hard-enough talk, Ware says, "Some stuff goes unseen. Coach isn't always in the gym watching you work out."
Now Ware is a Hoosier, with Hoosier Hysteria behind him and exhibitions against the University of Indianapolis this Sunday and Marian University on Nov. 3 before the season opens Nov. 7 against Gulf Coast at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
Ware expects to thrive in multiple roles with guards Xavier Johnson and Trey Galloway setting the tone.
"Wherever Coach Woody needs me, that's what I'll do. I know X will find me off the pick-and-roll. Galloway will find me off the pick-and-roll. It will be exciting."
Woodson plans to maximize that excitement.
"He is a very skillful player. It's a matter of him getting comfortable with the Big Ten and working hard.
"A lot of these young players truly believe they work hard. I've always felt there's another level that you can reach as a player. I've got to get him to that level.
"He has been working. He stuck around this summer and put in a lot of time. I'm pleased with his work ethic, but he still has a long way to go."
Adds Ware: "Coach is going to push me to play harder. He's going to push me to play to my best ability and become a better athlete."
Woodson aims to do that with every Hoosier in what could be, despite starting outside the top-25, a special season.
"We have a great group of guys here," Ware says. "I feel we're going to be good."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Kel'el Ware is assessing. He's analyzing. He's contemplating what he will bring to Indiana basketball this season.
The answer comes with this Cream 'n Crimson reality -- Ware is a 7-foot sophomore rich in talent and potential, and if his thoughts suggests a touch of cockiness, that can be a very good thing in a rugged Big Ten.
"I'm long, athletic. I'm able to shoot the three and space out the floor. Not just go in the paint. I can block shots. I can do it all."
Do-it-all potential is why Oregon recruited this 5-star prospect out of Arkansas two years ago, why IU coach Mike Woodson recruited him last spring out of the transfer portal.
Woodson coaches to win, of course, but it's more than that. He also coaches to maximize his players' potential.
In Ware, he sees elite talent and inconsistent work ethic. Check that. He saw inconsistent work ethic. This is a new program, a new opportunity and Woodson pushes to make a difference.
"I'm not always the easiest coach to play for, but I'm in your corner and I'm fair and I want what's best for you and my ballclub," Woodson says. "He made the commitment to me, and I'm going to push him to play at a higher level to help us win."
Woodson made that clear while recruiting Ware.
"The word is out;" he told Ware. "They knocked you and said, 'Hey, you're lazy, you don't work hard.' If you make a commitment to me, that's got to change.
"When I recruited that young man I told him, you cannot go back and get what happened the year before. You can't."
Ware is fine with change, but he makes clear what was said wasn't necessarily reality.
"I just want to prove to everybody that they're wrong," Ware says. "Show everybody that I have a motor, that I can keep going on the court. People say that I'm lazy, and I can show them that I'm not lazy."
That he'll do it at IU is no accident. He saw what Woodson did for Trayce Jackson-Davis, helping the 6-9 forward become one of the nation's best players last season, and one of IU's best ever.
"I know Coach is going to get me to play hard," Ware says. "He got Jackson-Davis to play hard. I'm ready for him to push me to be the best player I can be."
Ware's high school career suggested one-and-done potential. He was a member of USA Basketball's 2022 FIBA U18 Americas Championship gold medal team. He was a McDonald's All-American. He was a 5-star, national top-10 prospect by every major recruiting service.
He was also a winner, helping North Little Rock High School win two Arkansas state titles, averaging 20.3 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 5.7 blocks as a senior.
Ware went to Oregon and things got complicated.
He was impressive in November, scoring a career-high 18 points with nine rebounds, two assists, and a block against eventual national champ UConn. He had 17 points, nine rebounds, one steal, and one block against Michigan State. He had 13 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks against Villanova.
Then things slowed down. He averaged 6.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks while starting four times and playing in 35 of the Ducks 36 games.
How tough was that first season?
"I wouldn't say it was tough physically," Ware says. "Mentally, it was tough. That type of mental challenge makes you stronger."
As for that not-working-hard-enough talk, Ware says, "Some stuff goes unseen. Coach isn't always in the gym watching you work out."
Now Ware is a Hoosier, with Hoosier Hysteria behind him and exhibitions against the University of Indianapolis this Sunday and Marian University on Nov. 3 before the season opens Nov. 7 against Gulf Coast at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
Ware expects to thrive in multiple roles with guards Xavier Johnson and Trey Galloway setting the tone.
"Wherever Coach Woody needs me, that's what I'll do. I know X will find me off the pick-and-roll. Galloway will find me off the pick-and-roll. It will be exciting."
Woodson plans to maximize that excitement.
"He is a very skillful player. It's a matter of him getting comfortable with the Big Ten and working hard.
"A lot of these young players truly believe they work hard. I've always felt there's another level that you can reach as a player. I've got to get him to that level.
"He has been working. He stuck around this summer and put in a lot of time. I'm pleased with his work ethic, but he still has a long way to go."
Adds Ware: "Coach is going to push me to play harder. He's going to push me to play to my best ability and become a better athlete."
Woodson aims to do that with every Hoosier in what could be, despite starting outside the top-25, a special season.
"We have a great group of guys here," Ware says. "I feel we're going to be good."
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