Oregon’s Ware, ex-top-10 recruit, to enter portal

Oregon freshman Kel’el Ware, a former top-10 recruit, plans to enter the switch portal, he informed ESPN on Monday.

Ware, a 7-foot heart from Arkansas, averaged 6.6 factors and 4.1 rebounds in a principally reserve position throughout his freshman marketing campaign for the Geese. He confirmed appreciable promise early within the season, going for 18 factors and 9 rebounds in opposition to UConn, 17 factors and 9 rebounds in opposition to Michigan State and 13 factors and 7 rebounds in opposition to Villanova throughout a three-game stretch on the Phil Knight Invitational in late November.

However Ware’s position and minutes declined because the season progressed, bottoming out late within the Pac-12 marketing campaign. He bounced again with 11 factors in 16 minutes in opposition to UCF within the NIT.

Ware was ranked No. 8 within the ESPN 100 for the 2022 class and was chosen a McDonald’s All-American. Whereas his NBA draft inventory dropped throughout the season, he is nonetheless the No. 5 heart and No. 35 general in ESPN’s NBA draft rankings.

Oregon’s season ended final week with a 61-58 house loss to Wisconsin within the NIT, after which head coach Dana Altman expressed displeasure on the lack of fan help.

“If it is me, then eliminate me,” Altman stated. “If it is me, then make the change. Make the change. Any person will rent me someplace. I will go coach junior school ball.”

Ware is the second Oregon participant to make his intentions recognized, with guard Tyrone Williams coming into the switch portal final week.