Lance Ware thinks back on time spent at Kentucky: 'I was really blessed'

Lance Ware spent three seasons of a five-year collegiate career playing at Kentucky. Now, as he begins his professional career, with him soon to be headed overseas, he still thinks well of his time spent with the Wildcats.

Ware recently spoke with Christos Tsaltas at Athletiko about his signing with Iraklis BC in Greece. That interview included several references to his three years spent at UK and his love from when he played for Big Blue Nation.

“I was really blessed to play at a school like Kentucky that has the best fans in the United States,” said Ware. “They have better fans than most of the NBA teams and they’re incredibly loyal. I know what it’s like and I know how much the fans want to win, just like the players and the coaches want to win. So I think when you know that your fans are passionate and really want to win and it makes them happy when their team wins, I think it gives you an extra incentive to go out there and play as hard as you can because you know there are kids who are fans of the team.”

“You’re not just playing for yourself and your teammates. There are millions of fans who love Kentucky and have been watching Kentucky Basketball since they were born and it’s part of their family tradition. Like, if you lose, everyone’s sad. If you win, everyone’s happy. And there are some negatives and some positives. But it’s really so much more than just playing basketball. Honestly, the amount of community service and everything we’ve done while I’ve been at Kentucky is what made my experience at Kentucky even better. I’ve been able to help with so many, so many community service things. And with all that being said, it’s basically a culture and a community that’s there for each other,” Ware said. “Kentucky doesn’t have a lot of sports. It’s just football, basketball, and obviously basketball and football in Louisville. Those are the two main sports. And just to be a part of that, you get put on a pedestal at Kentucky. And just to be able to help people and bring joy to people and make someone’s day, that’s what Kentucky is all about.”

With that, Ware also shared his appreciation for John Calipari, his former head coach at Kentucky who’s now at Arkansas. That’s with all that he taught him and still continues to do for him despite having not played for him in two years.

“I would like to say that as one of my mentors, I can still call him today and I know he would understand,” said Ware. “He taught me a lot. He taught me more than just basketball as a sport. He taught me how to participate in the community. He helped shape me into the person I am today.”

“He was just so happy to see me flourish and be able to continue my career,” Ware said. “He’s a great guy. A lot of people say a lot of bad things about him, but I can never say anything bad about him. He’s helped me so much, even if I wasn’t playing 30 minutes a game. He’s helped me become a better person.”

Ware played for Kentucky from 2021 to 2023, making 77 appearances mostly as a reserve off the bench. He would average 1.8 points (57.4% FG) and 2.2 rebounds per game while with the Wildcats. That was after being another highly-rated signee for Coach Cal as a Top-40, four-star recruit, per Rivals’ Industry Ranking, in the No. 1 class for UK in 2020.

Following his junior year, though, Ware would transfer in each of his final offseasons by first going to Villanova before finishing his career at UT-Arlington. He would post 1.2 points (48.3% FG) and 2.3 rebounds in his lone season with the Wildcats under Kyle Neptune. Then, transferring to UT to play for a former assistant at Kentucky in K.T. Turner, Ware had a career-best season, averaging 13.4 points (58.4% FG), 9.6 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 1.3 steals, and 1.3 assists being Second Team All-WAC and WAC All-Defensive in his final year in ’24-’25.

Ware is currently getting some experience with the association on the summer league roster for the New York Knicks. Then, once his time is done playing in Vegas, Ware will be headed overseas.

Ware became a fan favorite over his time on the roster in Lexington. He’s now giving that love back to the program and fanbase as he leaves the collegiate level for the professional one.