(C) Kel 'el Ware - COMMITTED TO INDIANA

[WayneFleekHoosier]

38 minutes ago, go iu bb said:

Yeah, I don't get all the hand-wringing so many have about his health.

Sure he missed most of last season but not because of complications or the seriousness of the injury but just because of the time it naturally takes to heal. He was close to coming back at the end of the season so no reason to think that he wouldn't be fully healed well before next season.

He could have played the end of the season if that's what they decided.  They made a business decision to get him an extra year

[Demo]

 

[Stuhoo]

24 minutes ago, Demo said:

 

OhhOOOOOOOHHHHH boy.

[Hovadipo]

That is a freakish human being. 

[Stuhoo]

If Woody can get that motor running hot for most of the time he’s on the court? Look out we’re gonna be something this year.

Edit: Freeze that video at exactly the eight second mark. Basketball must be easier when your athleticism basically allows you to treat the rim like it's a Nerf hoop.

[Stromboli]

12 hours ago, Hovadipo said:

That is a freakish human being. 

That was my thought too! Dude has length like crazy, balance and coordination. Real easy to see the ranking. Nuts that we have his talent and we aren’t even relying on him to be a star. 

[WayneFleekHoosier]

3 hours ago, Stromboli said:

That was my thought too! Dude has length like crazy, balance and coordination. Real easy to see the ranking. Nuts that we have his talent and we aren’t even relying on him to be a star. 

That's the thing, this year I could see Mgbako, Reneau, and Ware all as major problems.  X is a bit of "x-factor" and Galloway is unheralded so I kinda get the disrespect to some degree but if a few of these guys pop this roster has some serious athleticism and talent.  I think our ceiling is way higher and obviously a little bit of a lower floor as we don't have a TJD to feed.  Some of the stuff I saw from Reneau last year has be quite confident though.  

[Stuhoo]

Just now, WayneFleekHoosier said:

That's the thing, this year I could see Mgbako, Reneau, and Ware all as major problems.  X is a bit of "x-factor" and Galloway is unheralded so I kinda get the disrespect to some degree but if a few of these guys pop this roster has some serious athleticism and talent.  I think our ceiling is way higher and obviously a little bit of a lower floor as we don't have a TJD to feed.  Some of the stuff I saw from Reneau last year has be quite confident though.  

I really, truly think that the one single player that the fanbase and media are sleeping on is...

Payton Sparks.

He may not be an NBA talent, but he's a great kid and an enforcer, screen setter, and at-the-rim-finisher that will be very much appreciated throughout the upcoming season.

[Stromboli]

26 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

I really, truly think that the one single player that the fanbase and media are sleeping on is...

Payton Sparks.

He may not be an NBA talent, but he's a great kid and an enforcer, screen setter, and at-the-rim-finisher that will be very much appreciated throughout the upcoming season.

I don’t disagree. I think he’ll be a steadying force all season. 

[Demo]

1 hour ago, Stuhoo said:

I really, truly think that the one single player that the fanbase and media are sleeping on is...

Payton Sparks.

He may not be an NBA talent, but he's a great kid and an enforcer, screen setter, and at-the-rim-finisher that will be very much appreciated throughout the upcoming season.

For sure. There won’t be many, maybe any, Big 10 teams who are able to roll a big off the bench with that frame and those feet with a couple of years of experience who can then guard the block 1 on 1 allowing Ware to lurk as a help defender like a freaking pterodactyl. Also, I’m looking forward to Xavier Booker trying to post up Sparks, Sparks jamming a forearm into his kidneys and driving him about 10 feet and Booker never stepping inside the 3 pt line again. That’s gonna happen.

[Stuhoo]

2 minutes ago, Demo said:

For sure. There won’t be many, maybe any, Big 10 teams who are able to roll a big off the bench with that frame and those feet with a couple of years of experience who can then guard the block 1 on 1 allowing Ware to lurk as a help defender like a freaking pterodactyl. Also, I’m looking forward to Xavier Booker trying to post up Sparks, Sparks jamming a forearm into his kidneys and driving him about 10 feet and Booker never stepping inside the 3 pt line again. That’s gonna happen.

That's never gonna happen.

Xavier Booker is never going to get anywhere near the lane on offense. It's too scary in there for his sensitive disposition.

[Demo]

Apparently we’re having another good day. 

[ebridges24]

2 hours ago, Stuhoo said:

I really, truly think that the one single player that the fanbase and media are sleeping on is...

Payton Sparks.

He may not be an NBA talent, but he's a great kid and an enforcer, screen setter, and at-the-rim-finisher that will be very much appreciated throughout the upcoming season.

not me!

[hoosierbgh]

1 hour ago, Demo said:

For sure. There won’t be many, maybe any, Big 10 teams who are able to roll a big off the bench with that frame and those feet with a couple of years of experience who can then guard the block 1 on 1 allowing Ware to lurk as a help defender like a freaking pterodactyl. Also, I’m looking forward to Xavier Booker trying to post up Sparks, Sparks jamming a forearm into his kidneys and driving him about 10 feet and Booker never stepping inside the 3 pt line again. That’s gonna happen.

I'm looking forward even more to Edey slamming into Sparks, being forced to take a much longer shot when Sparks doesn't go flying out of the way and then pouting when Ware swats his stuff into the 3rd row. 

[WayneFleekHoosier]

2 hours ago, Demo said:

Apparently we’re having another good day. 

I mean, the fluidity and size to pick, pop, roll…. Oh boy.  

[lillurk]

5 hours ago, Stuhoo said:

I really, truly think that the one single player that the fanbase and media are sleeping on is...

Payton Sparks.

He may not be an NBA talent, but he's a great kid and an enforcer, screen setter, and at-the-rim-finisher that will be very much appreciated throughout the upcoming season.

My hope is that the frontcourt depth also means optimal deployment and rest etc. for all these guys. 28 minutes of Kel’el, rested just right, because you slide Malik up for some minutes at the 5 and Sparks bullies some backups? That’s good news for everybody in cream and crimson.

[Demo]

 

Love it

[Stuhoo]

25 minutes ago, Demo said:

 

Love it

Someone does not miss Oregon.Glad you have found your home KelEl.

I’ve heard him interviewed; he’s a really nice kid. I feel like he’s going to have some ‘Mike Woodson on his @$$’ moments, but his evolution IU comp can be Landon Turner.

[realTomCrean]

On 8/13/2023 at 7:02 PM, Stuhoo said:

Someone does not miss Oregon.Glad you have found your home KelEl.

I’ve heard him interviewed; he’s a really nice kid. I feel like he’s going to have some ‘Mike Woodson on his @$$’ moments, but his evolution IU comp can be Landon Turner.

Shades of TJD effort level from tape pre-Woodson. If CMW helps Ware to NBA I don't see how players can turn their back on him in recruiting for *almost* any other coach. I believe the 2024/2025 class (including portal) will be dinner pickens' for CMW if he can get Ware and Mgbako to the draft this year. Reneau would be icing on the cake. 

[Demo]

The Skinny: The flashes with Kel’el Ware are impressive. He has excellent size, with good length and athletic fluidity. His shot-blocking is his take-home skill. He has natural timing and length and is able to get the ball at its peak with both hands, straight on or from the weak side. Ware has touch; he knocked down 15 threes last season and shot 71.4 percent from the free-throw line. His motor is going to be the question. He has the upside to protect the rim, stretch the floor, and finish around the basket, an interesting archetype for the NBA. Will Mike Woodson be able to get it out of him consistently?