Lance Ware

Hometown: Burlington, New Jersey
High School: Camden High School
Height: 6-9
Weight: 235

Lance Ware player preview

Lance Ware is another member of the high-profile group of transfers that Coach Neptune and staff have recruited to Villanova. Ware spent the last three seasons with the University of Kentucky, playing for coach John Calipari and appearing in 77 games, averaging 1.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 0.4 blocks in 9.2 minutes a game.

Originally a high-level 4-star recruit, Ware played high school basketball for Camden High School and committed to Kentucky over Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, and Providence. His high school coach is none other than Rick Brunson – father of Jalen Brunson and current assistant coach for the New York Knicks.

Ware was brought in as a depth piece for the front court, but his exact role is still up for the debate among fans and analysts. Lance thrives being a tough rim protector and received glowing reviews from Coach Cal after he announced he would be leaving: “He’s an exceptional leader & as good a teammate as I’ve ever coached.” It also mentions Ware being “a fan favorite” and “the team’s enforcer.”

Villanova has lacked a rim protector lately – opting for smaller lineups. The inclusion of Ware likely expands what the staff can draw up which will lead to more flexibility withing gameplans depending on the opponent.

Throughout the summer, most Nova fans slotted Ware into the backup role for Dixon. However, the recent buzz around Njoku’s offseason has led fans to be unsure how the minutes will break down.

(I do not advise trying to calculate how minutes will be allocated across the roster – it’s an exercise that’s not for the faint of heart).

Unfortunately, Nova Nation still hasn’t seen our first glimpse of Ware. He did not participate in the Blue & White scrimmage due to a hamstring strain, but since then coach Kyle Neptune has announced that everyone who was day-to-day then is now fully back in action.

Best Case Scenario: Ware thrives in a reserve forward role by providing Villanova with a much-needed rim protector. His presence makes life difficult for the talented front court players in the Big East, and his ability to play the 4/5 gives Villanova a well-rounded bench. The development of another reliable center gives Dixon some freedom to play the 4 – leading to some easy buckets as Dixon can bully smaller defenders. By the time March comes, Villanova’s depth is unquestioned, and Coach Neptune can rely on 9-10 guys to make a deep run in March (and April).

Worst Case Scenario: Villanova’s depth proves to be a good news and bad news deal. The good news is the team has quality up and down its roster. The bad news is Ware’s on the court role diminishes due to strong play by other front court players. While Ware hasn’t been one to achieve flashy box score outings, we know he contribute to and play a role in big games – he’s played in three March Madness games through his career and has been a consistent role player in a program known for heavy roster turnover. To me, it seems like a worst-case scenario of minutes drying up would point more to the development of other bench options as opposed to his inability to contribute.