What they’re saying: An updated look at Kel’el Ware’s NBA draft stock

  • 06/25/2024 8:47 am in

The 2024 NBA draft begins Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN.

Indiana’s Kel’el Ware, a green room invitee, is expected to be taken in the first round on night one. For the first time, the NBA draft will take place over two nights, with the first round on Wednesday and the second round on Thursday.

Here’s the latest on Ware’s draft stock and projections on where he could be selected next week. Only mock drafts that have been updated since our update on June 21 are included:

• ESPN.com, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo: No. 26 to Washington (previously No. 23 to Milwaukee)

Ware secured one of the final green room invitations, which bodes well for his chances of hearing his name called in the first round, having conducted a wide range of workouts.

The number of teams in the market for bigs also should work in his favor, but there’s a good deal of uncertainty surrounding picks in the 20s at the moment.

Ware could come off the board higher than this, with New Orleans and Milwaukee among the teams in need of help at center. The Wizards will likely be selecting for long-term upside and could view this as strong value if Ware falls to No. 26.

• The Athletic, Sam Vecenie: No. 23 to Milwaukee (no change)

• NBAdraft.net: No. 25 to New York (previously No. 23 to Milwaukee)

• Yahoo Sports, Krysten Peek: No. 23 to Milwaukee (previously No. 10 to Chicago)

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.

• CBSSports.com consensus mock draft: No. 23 to Milwaukee

After an up-and-down freshman season at Oregon, Ware transferred to Indiana, where he turned his career around and put himself back in the conversation as a first-round pick. Ware could serve as a valuable backup center for the Bucks.

• HoopsHype aggregate mock draft: No. 19 to Toronto

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.

• On3, James Fletcher III: No. 23 to Milwaukee (previously No. 21 to New Orleans)

• The Sporting News, Kyle Irving: No. 23 to Milwaukee

Bucks starting center Brook Lopez is turning 37 years old next season. It would be in the team’s best interest to start planning for the future of their frontcourt.

Ware would be a steal for Milwaukee at No. 23. The rim-protecting center is a long, athletic and mobile lob-catcher who has a developing offensive game as a scorer.

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