2024 NBA Mock Draft: Timberwolves grab seasoned prospect, Wizards reach for center
By Austin McGee
12. Oklahoma City Thunder - Kel'el Ware, Indiana
Indiana's Kel'el Ware placement in the draft is almost boundless. Several mock drafts place Ware in the 20s, while others have him in the teens. In this mock draft, the athletic big man comes in at 12. Ware's fit on the Oklahoma City Thunder is picture-perfect.
At 7-foot, 230 pounds, Ware is a phenomenal athlete. Aside from his impressive physicals, he's a skilled player. The Indiana big man connected on 17-of-40 triples this season, good for a 42.5 percent clip from distance.
On offense, Ware offers plenty of pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop potential. He's a graceful athlete who dunks everything in sight. As a roll man, Ware is an adept lob catcher who understands positioning extremely well.
Besides dunks and spot-up shooting, Ware demonstrated an intriguing mid-range game. Rather than shying away from post-ups, Ware would routinely call for the ball on the interior. From there, he'd use a hook or even a fall-away jumper to score over defenders.
Although he's such a skilled prospect, there's some concern for Ware. He's not very physical and appears to lack strength. However, a 20-pound increase from his collegiate playing weight to the NBA Combine is a sign of what's to come for the 20-year-old big man.