Camden’s Lance Ware becomes latest New Jersey star to pick Kentucky

By ADAM ZAGORIA & ARI ROSENFELD

John Calipari has always recruited well in New Jersey, dating back to the days of Lou Roe choosing UMass in the 1990s and later Dajuan Wagner picking Memphis in the early 2000s.

In recent years, Calipari has made a habit of plucking New Jersey’s top players out of the Garden State and bringing them to Kentucky. That list has included Dakari Johnson, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Karl-Anthony Towns, Isaiah Briscoe, Nick Richards and Kahlil Whitney.

That trend continued Thursday when Lance Ware, the 6-foot-9 power forward from Camden High School picked Kentucky over Miami, Michigan, Ohio State and Providence.

“I just decided that I want to go to the University of Kentucky,” he said at his school.

“Coach Cal and just the family atmosphere when he came to my house, it just felt right,” Ware added. “Academically and basketball-wise I felt like I get the best of both.”

2020 Camden (NJ) and NY Rens forward Lance Ware just announced his commitment to Kentucky at his school pic.twitter.com/Mg0YP2K8zh

— Ari Rosenfeld (@ARosenfeldDVHR) September 12, 2019

Ware is ranked the No. 5 power forward in 2020 by 247Sports.com, and had a breakout summer with the NY Rens on the Nike EYBL circuit.

“He has a huge motor,” Rens coach Andy Borman said. “He’s a versatile forward who can play inside and out. He can play with another big and spread the floor. He can play by himself with four guards. He runs, rebounds, finishes and protects the rim. All at a high clip.

“He’s very coachable and a terrific teammate. His best basketball is ahead of him.”

2020 F Lance Ware highlights from @NikeEYB Peach Jam with the @NYRhoops.
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.@lanceware12 is down to Kentucky, OSU, Providence, U-Miami and Michigan. #HoopMajor
? – @brhoops pic.twitter.com/2oKtZJ3uzG

— Hoop Major John (@hoopmajor_john) August 21, 2019

Ware said he looks forward to the friendships he’ll develop at Kentucky.

“Just building relationships with people that are probably going to be there for a lifetime, and lifelong friends throughout basketball,” he said.

Ware could be the first half of a 1-2 punch on the recruiting front with Brewster (N.H.) Academy wing Terrence Clark set to announce on Saturday.

Kentucky’s Calipari and Boston College coach Jim Christian both visited him this week at Brewster. Memphis coach Penny Hardaway cancelled a visit there set for Wednesday.

Clarke recently took an unofficial to BC and visited Kentucky last year for “Big Blue Madness.”

He previously said Calipari “thinks I can be a very good play-maker and facilitator as a 6-foot-6 guard, but I can also score the basketball. He thinks the main thing for me is what everybody else says, my body language and just playing hard every game.”

Clarke has the option of reclassifying to 2020 from 2021 and has said he’ll make that decision later on.

I am a member of the class of ‘21. I will explore the possibility of reclassifying in the spring after taking the SAT & ACT and evaluating my academic performance during the upcoming school year. Stay Tuned ?

— Terrence Clarke (@terrenceclarke_) August 30, 2019

Kentucky now has three commits in Ware, shooting guard B.J. Boston and small forward Cam’Ron Fletcher.

They remain in the mix for several elite prospects, including Cade Cunningham, Scottie Barnes, Jalen Green, Josh Christopher, Greg Brown and Cliff Omoruyi.

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