Kevin Ware’s petition to play for Georgia State in the 2014-15 season was granted by the NCAA on Thursday.
Ware transferred to Georgia State in April from Louisville. A key member of the 2012-13 Cardinals team that won the national championship at the Georgia Dome, Ware sustained a broken right leg during that tournament, a gruesome injury that caused him to miss the final few games. A 6-2 guard, Ware returned from his broken leg to average 3.1 points per game while playing in nine games last year before deciding to sit out the rest of the season.
“I’m happy for Kevin,” Georgia State coach Ron Hunter said. “This closes that chapter for him and he can finally start over.”
Hunter said he called Ware Thursday morning to give him the good news, and that Ware screamed for more than 30 seconds.
Ware led Rockdale County High School to a 26-2 record as a senior. His mother still lives in Conyers, which is one of the reasons that he chose to transfer to Georgia State.
Ware joins a Panthers squad that went 17-1 in Sun Belt Conference play and won the regular season conference title. That Panthers return stars Ryan Harrow, R.J. Hunter and Curtis Washington from a team that went 25-9 last year.
Hunter said he will use Ware as a combo guard this season. Ware, a 34.1-percent 3-pointer shooter at Louisville, has been working to improve his jump shot. Hunter said he wants him now to work on attacking the basket because when Ware “plays downhill he’s hard to stop.”
It may be Ware’s defense that will have the most impact.
Hunter said with Ware, next season’s team may be better at defending than his first team at Georgia State, which set records in 2011-12 for defensive rebounds (839), blocked shots (183), fewest points allowed per game (58.9) and lowest field-goal percentage allowed per game (38.0).
“He’s a tremendous talent,” Hunter said.
The NCAA ruled on Ware’s situation much quicker than they did last year when Harrow transferred from Kentucky and was also granted immeidate eligibilty. Hunter said he wasn’t surprised.
“It’s really trying to do the right thing,” he said. “It was kind of a no-brainer. His situation was so public.”
