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College basketball transfer portal: Villanova trending for Kentucky forward Lance Ware – 247Sports
Kentucky power forward Lance Ware – one of the top available big men in the college basketball transfer portal – could be gearing up for a move to Villanova as 247Sports national basketball analyst Travis Branham logged a Crystal Ball prediction for him to commit to the Wildcats. Ware, ahead of his senior season, would be eligible to play immediately.
Should he join the program, Ware would become Villanova’s third transfer addition of the 2023 cycle and the third four-star pickup for head coach Kyle Neptune. The Wildcats already added highly-rated transfers TJ Bamba (guard, Washington State) and Hakim Hart (forward, Maryland) to a class that currently ranks 30th in the nation.
Ware spent the first three years of his career at Kentucky and was a consistent member of the team’s rotation. He played in 21 games as a true freshman and 28 games in each of the last two years. He has nine career starts and averaged just over nine minutes of playing time per game.
The 2022 season was Ware’s best of his career. He averaged 2.0 points and 2.0 rebounds per game while shooting 65.7% from the field. For his career, Ware averages 1.8 points and 2.2 rebounds.
Ware was one of the nation’s top recruits out of high school. The Burlington (N.J.) Camden product was a four-star recruit who ranked 44th among all players in the 2020 class and fifth among power forwards. He was the No. 3 player in the state of New Jersey.
“A lefty with length and some athletic bounce,” 247Sports’ Jerry Meyer wrote of Ware in a 2018 scouting report. “Primarily a finesse player at this point. Needs to develop strength. Does have a nose for the basketball to come up with rebounds, blocks and steals. Rapidly improving as a rising senior. Has touch inside the arc and will likely extend his shooting range. Capable ballhandler and passer. Has a high ceiling and projects as a skilled NBA forward.”
Ware is one of four Kentucky players to depart from the program via the transfer portal. He joins guard Sahvir Wheeler, who committed to Washington, guard CJ Fredrick, who is heading to Cincinnati, and center Daimion Collins, who remains uncommitted.
In the first year of the portal windows, the college basketball transfer portal began March 13 and ran until May 11.
Numerous graduate transfers entered the transfer portal prior to the March 13 opening, but that date kicked off the 60-day window for the rest of the prospective transfers to hop in the portal to examine their options. The one-time transfer rule is still intact, per usual. If a player has not transferred yet, they are immediately eligible.
Get the latest football and basketball transfer portal news from 247Sports.
Name, image and likeness is going to be a factor in the transfer portal. It’s no coincidence that some of the teams who continue to dominate the transfer portal also have structured NIL opportunities set up.
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