Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino tells ESPN he expects guard Kevin Ware to be in uniform and more than likely available to play in the team's season-opener against Charlotte early next month.
Ware suffered an open fracture to his right leg during the eventual NCAA champion Cardinals' Elite Eight game against Duke Last March that at the time was thought to have put his entire career in jeopardy. He was cleared to play last week and is working toward getting in game shape.
"He'll suit up for the first game," Pitino, who expects Ware to join the team for full and formal workouts on Nov. 1., told ESPN. "Whether he gets in or not, we'll see.
Up until being medically cleared by doctors last week, Ware had been concentrating on individual instruction and shooting drills. Over the last few days, his progress has been slowed by a bout of pinkeye that forced him back to the sidelines.
"He's taking it slow," said Pitino. "People want to see him on the court healthy. We want to see him flourishing."
If healthy, Ware, who backed up Russ Smith and the departed Peyton Siva last season, is expected to assume an even bigger role with the Cardinals this season. Before being injured, he scored at least eight points in five of the last 12 games he played in.
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