BIO: Casper Ware was born in Cerritos, California (USA) and attended Gahr High School.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Casper Ware made his NBL debut with the Melbourne United at 26 years of age. He scored 12 points in his first game.

On November 14, 2016, after spending preseason with the Washington Wizards, Ware signed with Melbourne United as a midseason acquisition.

On November 25, in just his second game for United, Ware scored 28 points and hit the game-winning three-pointer to lift United to a 95–92 win over the Sydney Kings. On December 9, he scored 38 points and hit eight three-pointers in a 92–89 loss to the Perth Wildcats. In 18 games, he averaged 22.1 points and 4.5 assists per game as Melbourne finished in sixth place (13-15).

2017/18
On August 22, 2017, Ware re-signed with Melbourne United, who looked to begin a new era, replacing head coach Dean Demopoulos. who had struggled to fit in with the playing group during his tenure, with Sydney assistant coach Dean Vickerman. Vickerman signed on for two seasons and shortly after, the team re-signed David Barlow and imports Josh Boone and Ware. Vickerman brought with him forward Craig Moller (via Sydney) as a replacement for the departing Todd Blanchfield (to Illawarra) and added Casey Prather (via Perth) as the team’s third import.

Melbourne won their season opener against Adelaide (99–97) with Prather (20 points) leading the team offensively. Despite United’s hot start, they would win only five of their first ten games.

On December 16, Prather went down with a dislocated elbow in the second quarter of Melbourne’s win over Illawarra (84–78) and was subsequently ruled out for a minimum of eight weeks. While United looked for a injury replacement, development player Felix Von Hofe was elevated into the team until they signed former NBA talent Carrick Felix. Felix joined the team in December and with his addition, the team sparked a strong run home, finishing 15-3 for the remainder of the season.

Ware would average 16.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game, helping Melbourne finish in first place (20-8) during the regular season and go on to meet fourth-seed New Zealand in the semifinals. In game one, Prather (15 points) led the team in scoring despite starting on the bench and led United to a 11-point win (88–77). Prather (12 points) then helped Melbourne win game two in overtime (88–86) and progress to the Grand Final. On the opposite side of the bracket, the Adelaide 36ers eliminated the reigning champions Perth in two games as well.

The opening game saw Casper Ware (20 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) come out on fire in the first half, before leaving the game with a hip injury. United sharp-shooter Chris Goulding would then step up with a impressive shooting display (26 points) to give Melbourne the victory (107-96) at Hisense Arena. Daniel Johnson (18 points) led the 36ers in scoring alongside Mitch Creek (14 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists).

In game two, Adelaide came out firing behind Majok Deng (18 points), Mitch Creek (17 points) and Ramone Moore (17 points) and tied the series with a 15-point win (110-95). Melbourne were led by Casey Prather (20 points), who had re-joined the team just prior to the Grand Final series, and Chris Goulding (19 points).

The 36ers win came at a cost, with import Josh Childress (13 points and 8 rebounds) going down with a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter that would remove him from the remaining Grand Final games.

The series returned to Melbourne for game three, where tensions exploded at the end of the first half, Adelaide’s Nathan Sobey clashing heads with Casey Prather after the United import hit a three-pointer on the stroke of halftime. The Adelaide guard was called for a disqualifying foul and ejected from the match. There was further drama at the end of the game with players from both teams needing to be separated after the final buzzer. The incident also resulted in 36ers head coach Joey Wright being fined handsomely for questioning the integrity of the referees.

When the smoke settled, Melbourne had squeaked out a narrow victory (101-98) after Adelaide’s Majok Deng missed a game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds. Casper Ware (25 points), Prather (23 points) and Chris Goulding (15 points), who hit three clutch triples to take control of the game, were among United’s best.

Game four saw Adelaide swingman Nathan Sobey (16 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists), who was ejected in game three for his part in the halftime melee, lead the way for the 36ers in the first half with the scoreboard reading 55-31 at the halfway mark. Again the home team was victorious, Adelaide getting a comfortable win over Melbourne United (90-81). Johnson (29 points and 10 rebounds) and Prather (23 points) top scoring for their respective sides.

In the deciding game five, Goulding, Ware (both 23 points) and Prather (19 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 steals) came to play and Melbourne defeated Adelaide (100-82) in front of a sold-out crowd at Hisense Arena, winning their first title since rebranding from the Tigers. Shannon Shorter (20 points) led Adelaide in scoring, while Chris Goulding was named Finals MVP after averaging 16.6 points and 3.6 rebounds over the five-game series. With the win, Prather collected his third NBL championship to become the first player in NBL history to win three straight titles in his first three seasons in the league.

2018/19
On August 14, 2018, Ware re-signed with United for the 2018/19 NBL season. He helped Melbourne reach the Grand Final for the second straight year and earned All-NBL First Team honours for the third straight year. In 34 games, he averaged 18.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists whilst United finished in second place (18-10).

SYDNEY KINGS
2019/20
With Sydney having underdelivered with Andrew Gaze as coach, the Kings went a different direction in 2019 and signed Will Weaver, a current assistant coach on the Australian Boomers, as the team’s head coach. With Melbourne deciding not to take on the optional third of Moller’s contract, he would return to Sydney, signing a two-year deal (15 April 2019).

Sydney’s other moves included re-signing Kevin Lisch on a multi-year deal, replacing imports Jerome Randle with Casper Ware (via Melbourne) and David Wear with Jae’Sean Tate. Weaver would add local talent Xavier Cooks (Winthrop University), Shaun Bruce (via Adelaide) and Lucas Walker (via Cairns).

With the NBL ramping up it’s ‘Next Stars’ program, the Kings also acquired Didi Louzada, who had just been drafted by the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans, as a additional part of their roster.

The team suffered a major injury set-back when Kevin Lisch (6.9 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.1 steals) suffered a left ankle fracture in Round 2 of the season and was subsequently ruled out for two months. Sydney added import Deshon Taylor (6.6 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1 assists), who had been released by the Adelaide 36ers in the pre-season until Lisch was able to return in February. He managed to play the final three games of the regular season to help the Kings finish in first-place (20–8).

During Moller’s second stint with the Kings, He appeared in the first 11 games of the 2019/20 season before missing the next 16 games with a right ankle injury. Moller (7.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists) returned to play in the Kings’ final regular season game, just in time for the playoffs.

Weaver had constructed a Kings team that delivered a well-balanced attack, proving almost unstoppable during the regular season. Casper Ware (19.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists) led the team in scoring, while Jae’Sean Tate (16.4 points, 6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists 1.1 steals) showcased a all-around game that not only saw him named in the All-NBL First Team, and Kings club MVP but resulted in him gaining a NBA contract with Houston the following year.

Andrew Bogut (8.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 blocks), who showed clear signs of slowing down, was still able to make a huge impact at the defensive end and was named to the league’s All-NBL second team.

Sydney went on to defeat Melbourne in the semifinals (2-1), and would face off against Perth in the Grand Final.

Game one saw the Kings lose a nailbiter (86-88), with Lisch (17 points) leading the team in scoring. As the team’s prepared for game two in Perth, it was decided that the remaining games would all take place with no fans in the building. Without a single fan in the building, the Kings evened the series (1-1) thanks to Jae’Sean Tate (21 points) nailing seven of his nine shots and Andrew Bogut (24 points and 14 rebounds) having one of his best games of the season.

In game three of the grand final series against the Sydney Kings, Kay (30 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists) delivered a career high scoring effort, including seven three-pointers alongside Cotton (31 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists) to propel Perth to a game three victory (111–96).

Prior to game four, the Sydney Kings chose to withdraw from the series due to uncertainties of the coronavirus and travel restrictions. With multiple Kings players based overseas, many were concerned the restrictions would prevent any return home. After a week spent deliberating, it was decided Perth would be awarded the championship due to holding a 2-1 lead at the time, securing their tenth title. After averaging 30.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists over the three games, Cotton was named Grand Final MVP for the second time in four years, becoming the first player in Wildcats history to be named league MVP, Grand Final MVP and win a championship all in the same season.

Ware led the Kings in scoring and assists, averaging 19.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, and was named to the All-NBL Second Team.

Casper Ware is a walking bucket ????

The explosive guard averaged 18 points per game across five seasons in the NBL.

Check out some of his best plays ???? pic.twitter.com/F2hgEx1Lkj

— NBL (@NBL) May 20, 2024

2020/21
Sydney faced a major roster turnover after finishing runners-up to Perth in a Covid induced conclusion to the 2020 Grand Final. The team looked to recover from the loss of both All-NBL First Team forward Jae’Sean Tate and head coach Will Weaver, who both inked contracts with the NBA’s Houston Rockets while veterans Kevin Lisch, Andrew Bogut and Lucas Walker all retired. Kings assistant Adam Forde took up the reigns this season after being with the organisation since 2019 and replaced the outgoing talent with import Jarell Martin, Angus Glover (via Illawarra), and rookie Dejan Vasiljevic (via Miami University). During the preseason, Sydney lost promising forward Xavier Cooks to a foot injury and signed Tom Vodanovich (via New Zealand) as an injury replacement just before their opening game. The team’s injury woes continued when Angus Glover tore his ACL and would miss all but two games for the season.

As the season kicked off, the Kings looked to their young core to step up in the loss of key veterans and struggled early as a result. Losing three of their first four games, the team sat at the bottom of the ladder in seventh place. Mid-season, the league made the decisions to move all teams to Melbourne for a in-season tournament (NBL Cup) created to avoid COVID-related travel issues. It was here Sydney began to find some form, winning as many as they lost during the Cup (4-4) and then once the tournament was over, consecutive wins at home saw Sydney reach the top four by round 12.

Martin (17.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists) and co-captain Casper Ware (17.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists) became the focal points on offence. Ware appeared in each of the Kings 36 games of the season and only had five games where he scored less than 10 points, including a career-high 40 point effort in April during a win over Cairns (89–84). Ware was tasked with saving the Kings in several clutch moments during the season. This included his missed game-winning opportunity against the Taipans in Round 1, while another being his huge fourth quarter against Cairns in Round 14, where the fourth quarter began with both teams tied at 65-all and Ware produced 13 points in the final 10 minutes to deliver victory to the Kings.

Dejan Vasiljevic (15.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists) and Jordan Hunter (9.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks) both became major parts of the King’s core rotation, Hunter finishing runner-up in the voting for the Most Improved Player award and Vasiljevic being selected as Rookie of the Year. Xavier Cooks (10.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 blocks) also showed what type of impact he could have during the King’s back end of the season win the league, producing a career high 19 points and 11 rebounds against the Hawks in Round 21. The Kings’ limitations this season were primarily their perimeter shooting, where they were equal worst in three-point percentage (tied with Illawarra with 33.4%) and inability to win on the road, where they lost 50% of their games away from home. With four rounds to go, Sydney was firmly entrenched inside the top four but a stretch of five losses in seven games that included two by over 20 points ultimately saw them fall short. Sydney ended the season on a three-game winning streak but would finish in fifth place (19-17) and fail to qualify for the playoffs.

Casper Ware played five seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Melbourne United and the Sydney Kings. He averaged 18.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 151 NBL games.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Dan Boyce (798 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.