Dana Altman details decision to sit Kel'el Ware during Oregon's win over Utah
During Oregon’s win over Utah on Saturday, nine different players took the floor for Dana Altman’s squad.
Kel’el Ware wasn’t one of them.
Ware, the second-highest-rated recruit in program history and a consensus 5-star in the class of 2022, was expected to be Oregon’s next one-and-done star when the season began. Countless reputable NBA Draft analysts had him tabbed as a sure-fire lottery pick next summer.
But on a day when Oregon found itself in a must-win scenario, head coach Dana Altman and his staff felt that including Ware in the rotation did not improve their chances of notching a much-needed win.
In Saturday’s postgame press conference, Altman repeatedly praised the effort of reserve forward Lok Wur, who did not score a point but led the team with a +/- of 17 in just 12 minutes during the 68-56 victory.
When asked if Wur’s showing in practice and game scenarios could set an example for Ware, Altman offered this.
“It’s for all of our team. You’ve got to stay ready,” Altman said. “My job is to evaluate and put the team that, as a coaching staff, we feel gives us the best opportunity to win and will play hard. Tonight, that was the group I went with. That can change Monday, Tuesday, Wednsdsay, if guys get ready. But you still have to perform. You still have to play hard.
“I thought Lok did a tremendous job in the Colorado game. He’s been practicing well and that’s why he got the opportunity tonight.”
Saturday wasn’t the first instance of Ware being on the periphery of Oregon’s rotation. His role with the team has been greatly reduced in recent weeks. The freshman played a season-low six minutes during Oregon’s loss to Stanford last Saturday. On Thursday, despite the fact that the Ducks were without star big man N’Faly Dante due to injury, Ware played just 11 minutes.
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That’s due, in large part, to what Altman has vocally cited as a lack of energy and intensity during practice and games.
“We’ve had a lot of conversations,” Altman said of Ware during a media availability last Tuesday. “They haven’t gone as well and haven’t been as constructive as we want them to be. I was disappointed in his effort. I let him know that. He’s gonna have to make some adjustments or I’ve got to make some decisions. His time has been reduced. That doesn’t help us, because he is talented.”
Oregon senior guard Jermaine Couisnard was asked during Saturday’s postgame press conference what the team’s veterans can do to help Ware become a consistently productive player for the stretch run of the season.
“We just tell him daily, just what we see out there from him, we know how good he is and what he’s capable of,” Couisnard said. “He’s young, so he doesn’t understand how hard you have to play at this level.
“He came from high school. Nobody’s probably told him he has to play this hard aginst people whoa re just gonna compete. He’s gotta learn that and just take it day-by-day; listen to the older guys and what we see out there.”
