IU basketball lands Kel'el Ware, coveted 7-foot Oregon transfer and former top-10 recruit

BLOOMINGTON – Kel’el Ware, an Oregon transfer who was a top-10 recruit in the 2022 signing class, has committed to Indiana.

Ware tweeted the news Monday evening.

His pledge fills a major need for the Hoosiers, who must replace the considerable production not just in points but rebounds, blocks and rim defense with Trayce Jackson-Davis headed to the NBA draft. In Ware, Mike Woodson and his staff also add a player of considerable and tantalizing upside, one who has first-round potential if his variety of skills can be polished with time.

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Immediately, the 7-foot center becomes a prominent piece of a frontcourt rebuild that’s already seen Woodson add Ball State forward Payton Sparks via the transfer portal. A McDonald's All American and ranked the No. 2 available transfer by 247Sports, Ware averaged 6.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game as a freshman.

While Indiana isn’t likely to put so much on Ware’s plate offensively, the Hoosiers will likely lean on their new big man in transition and, as he gains comfort with Woodson’s system, the screen-and-roll portions of IU’s offense.

Provided Xavier Johnson does receive an eligibility waiver granting him a sixth season of college basketball, Woodson now has 10 scholarship players penciled in for 2023-24. The Hoosiers are still targeting a number of guards and wings in the portal, including Harvard’s Chris Ledlum, Towson’s Nicolas Timberlake and Northern Colorado’s Dalton Knecht.

Follow IndyStar reporter Zach Osterman on Twitter: @ZachOsterman.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Hoosiers basketball lands Kel'el Ware in transfer portal