Indiana Basketball’s Kel’el Ware Receives Green Room Invitation for 2024 NBA Draft

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – After one season at Indiana, Kel’el Ware is expected to be a first-round pick in the upcoming NBA draft.

The 7-foot center was invited to the green room during the 2024 NBA Draft, as first reported by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. The green room is a draft area where players wait to hear their name called while surrounded by family members, agents and coaches.

This is good news for Ware stock. The NBA typically sends green room invitations to players considered first-round picks, although there have been instances where players have fallen below pre-draft projections.

Ware’s presence in the green room also serves as good publicity for Indiana, which millions watch on television. Coach Mike Woodson attended the 2023 NBA Draft with first-round pick Jalen Hood-Schifino, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him in the green room with Ware.

In a recent 2024 NBA Mock Draft, Ware was projected to be selected No. 13 overall by the Sacramento Kings, according to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report.

“An impressive day of professional filming had the crews around Kel’el Ware excited,” Wasserman wrote. “Sources say he’s drawing realistic consideration in the latest lottery. The narrative about his underwhelming motor has apparently been squashed. Ware looks very attractive in a practice setting that can showcase his athleticism at the rim, his mobility and his high level of shooting skill.”

Other mock drafts have Ware 23rd overall to the Milwaukee Bucks (ESPN and The Athletic), 24th overall to the New York Knicks (USA Today), 20th overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers (SB Nation), and 17th overall to the Lakers. Los Angeles (The Ringer).

Ware is coming off a stellar sophomore season at Indiana, where he earned second-team All-Big Ten honors and made the Big Ten All-Defensive team. Under coach Mike Woodson, Ware led the Hoosiers with 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. He was efficient inside and out, shooting 58.6 percent from the field and 42.5 percent on 40 3-point attempts.

The 7-footer has 15 double-doubles in 30 games and has blocked three or more shots in eight games. At Indiana, Ware more than doubled his average from his freshman year at Oregon, where he scored 6.6 points and grabbed 4.1 rebounds per game.

The 2024 NBA Draft is scheduled for June 26-27 in Brooklyn, NY.