Big Ten Basketball: Each team’s best acquisition out of 2023 transfer portal

Kel’el Ware – 7’0 Center – Indiana Hoosiers

Kel’el Ware will look for greener pastures in the Big Ten as he joins the Indiana Hoosiers after spending the 2022-23 in the Pac-12 with the Oregon Ducks. The 7-foot big man had solid returns during his freshman season in Eugene, though, he ultimately found a new school in the transfer portal following the conclusion of the year.

Ware posted 6.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg amd 1.3 bpg on 45.7 percent shooting from the field across 35 appearances in his first season of college basketball. He managed to put up solid production despite starting in just four contests for the Ducks in 2022-23.

He’ll also need to show he can rebound the ball with effort going forward. He didn’t surpass double-figures in rebounds in a single outing with Oregon this past season. He came close, snagging nine rebounds twice. At 7-foot, the expectations certainly rise to be a presence in the paint on both ends of the floor.

He’s shown though, he can compete against Big Ten competition. He finished with 17 points, nine rebounds and a block on 7-of-17 shooting back on Nov. 26, 2022 in the Phil Knight Invitational against Michigan State. That was also one of his four starts this past season.

While he’s not shy about shooting the ball on the perimeter, he’ll certainly need to prove himself among other talented big men in the Big Ten as he’s shown he can shoot the ball at volume from the center-forward spot. Take away his 55 3-point shot attempts and he’s shooting 53.4 percent from the field.

He generated a defensive rating of 94.7 across 15.8 minutes action, something that can certainly earn him some playing time as a defensive anchor in an Indiana rotation that will need to replace the departures of Trayce Jackson-Davis, Miller Kopp and Race Thompson in the frontcourt.