The 2023 NBA draft is still over six months away, but with the college basketball season across the halfway point it’s not surprising to see mock drafts out in full effect.
The folks over at USA TODAY’s Hoops Hype aggregated nine different mock drafts to provide a consensus of how NBA draft hopefuls are being viewed by the industry at this point.
For Oregon Ducks freshman center Kel’el Ware, the returns remain promising. Ware came in at No. 15 on the aggregate mock draft, and while that is his first time outside the lottery it is clear he is viewed as a near lock to go in the first round of the draft in June.
Despite playing only 19.1 minutes per game, Ware ranks seventh in the Pac-12 in blocks per game (1.4), and his ability to stretch the floor beyond the arc (.308 three-point percentage) intrigues NBA talent evaluators.
“Ware reminds me of Willie Cauley-Stein with three-point shooting ability,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype.
Ware’s numbers on the season don’t exactly jump off the page, as the freshman from Little Rock is averaging 7.4 points and 4.1 rebounds in about 19 minutes per game.
Still, his blend of size, athleticism, shot blocking ability, and outside shooting make him a tantalizing NBA prospect, and one who probably won’t be in Eugene after the conclusion of the college season.
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