Kevin Ware

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Kevin Ware

Ware cuts a net after Louisville's victory in the 2013 NCAA championship game.
No. 5 – Louisville Cardinals
Position Guard
League American Athletic Conference
Personal information
Born (1993-01-03) January 3, 1993
Bronx, New York
Nationality American
Listed height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Career information
High school Rockdale County (Conyers, Georgia)
College Louisville (2011–present)
Career highlights and awards
For the football player, see Kevin Ware (American football).

Kevin Ware (born January 3, 1993) is an American college basketball player on the Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team. Ware spent most of the 2012–13 season backing up starting guards Peyton Siva and Russ Smith. Ware received widespread media attention when he broke his right leg in an Elite Eight game against the Duke Blue Devils on March 31, 2013, when he tried to block a three-point attempt by Tyler Thornton.[1]

Early life

Ware was born on January 3, 1993, in Bronx, New York, to Lisa Junior and Kevin Ware, Sr. Growing up, Ware has three sisters Donna, Brittney and Khadijah.[2] Ware and his family moved to Atlanta when he was 14, but shortly after, they moved to Rockdale County, Georgia, so the family could live in "more of a quiet area".[3] Scout and Rivals.com both listed Ware as a four-star prospect out of a possible five stars, while ESPN gave him a 92/100 rating.[4][5][6] He had a broken hand in July 2010. Ware had signed a letter-of-intent with Tennessee, but changed his mind after Bruce Pearl was fired as Tennessee's basketball coach.[7] His choices were down to Georgia and Louisville before picking the Cardinals.[8]

College career

In his freshman season, Ware played limited minutes. In his sophomore year, his minutes began to increase as Louisville's first guard off the bench to relieve Peyton Siva or Russ Smith. Ware had disciplinary issues, however, and Rick Pitino suspended him for a game against Pittsburgh.[9] After his return, Ware's production and minutes increased for the remainder of the season. In consecutive games in the NCAA tournament, Ware dished a career high 5 assists against Colorado State, then scored a career high 11 points against Oregon.[10]

Injury

On March 31, 2013, in the first half of an Elite Eight game against Duke, Ware landed awkwardly after attempting to block a three-point shot attempt and suffered a compound fracture to his right leg.[11] Players and coaches on both teams were visibly shaken at the sight of the injury.[1] While lying on the floor of the court, Ware repeatedly said, "I'm fine, just win the game."[1] After being tended to courtside for several minutes, Ware was carried off on a stretcher and was taken by ambulance to Methodist Hospital of Indianapolis.[12] Surgeons inserted a rod into his tibia in a two-hour operation. In a performance the players dedicated to Ware, Louisville beat Duke 85–63. As the game concluded, Louisville forward Chane Behanan wore Ware's jersey in a show of solidarity for his teammate.[13]

Many NBA players showed their support for Ware and shared their sympathies through Twitter, including LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Kevin Durant.[14] Former NFL quarterback Joe Theismann and the Louisville Cardinals former running back Michael Bush, who both have gone through the same kind of injury, called to give their support.[15] Ware traveled with the team to the Final Four in Atlanta,[16] where he sat alongside his teammates as they won the national championship.

2013–14 season

Ware returned to competitive basketball for the first time during an exhibition game against the University of Pikeville, entering the game midway through the second half. Ware received a standing ovation upon entering the game, and another after making his first shot, finishing with six points and four rebounds.[17]

Ware announced that he would redshirt the 2013-2014 season in order to continue his recovery.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Wolken, Don (March 31, 2013). "Louisville's Kevin Ware suffers gruesome leg injury, players emotional". USA Today. 
  2. ↑ "Kevin Ware". Retrieved March 31, 2013. 
  3. ↑ "Know your Cardinals: Sophomore guard Kevin Ware". 
  4. ↑ "Kevin Ware". Rivals.com. Retrieved March 31, 2013. 
  5. ↑ "2011 Louisville Basketball Commits". Scout.com. Retrieved March 31, 2013. 
  6. ↑ "ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 31, 2013. 
  7. ↑ Paul Fortenberry VolQuest.com (2011-03-21). "Signee Ware asks out of LOI". Basketballrecruiting.rivals.com. Retrieved 2013-04-04. 
  8. ↑ "Ware & Hancock Added to UofL Men's Basketball Roster". WHAS TV. Retrieved 31 March 2013. 
  9. ↑ "Wayne Blackshear (shoulder), Kevin Ware (suspension) out vs. Pitt". CBS Sports. Retrieved April 1, 2013. 
  10. ↑ "Ware Has Successful Surgery To Repair Broken Leg". 
  11. ↑ Sifferlin, Alexandra (April 1, 2013). "Kevin Ware’s Awful Break: How Could It Happen?". Time. 
  12. ↑ Schwartz, Nick (March 31, 2013). "Louisville's Kevin Ware receives outpouring of support following horrific injury". USA Today. 
  13. ↑ "Chane Behanan Wears Kevin Ware’s Jersey During Final Moments of Louisville’s Win Over Duke". NESN. March 31, 2013. 
  14. ↑ "Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and other NBA players show support for injured Louisville player". NewsOK. April 1, 2013. 
  15. ↑ "Chicago Bears news-: Michael Bush reaches out to injured Ware – Chicago Tribune". Articles.chicagotribune.com. 2013-03-31. Retrieved 2013-04-04. 
  16. ↑ "Kevin Ware OK'd for trip to Atlanta". ESPN. 
  17. ↑ "Kevin Ware returns in exhibition". ESPN. 2013-11-06. 
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