Kel’el Ware remains bright spot in challenging Heat season: ‘He’s gaining confidence’

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An up-and-down Miami Heat season (36-43) will end with a degree of long-term optimism.

For that, thank Kel’el Ware. The rookie center has had an uneven season, but his promise brightens Miami’s future.

For now, that applies to the Heat seeking a strong finish in the East’s Play-In Tournament, though it remains to be seen whether that will be as the No. 9 or 10 seed. As the season has progressed, Miami’s room for error shrank. The Jimmy Butler drama, and his eventual departure, capped in-season expectations. Miami went from relying on Butler to counting on Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, a necessary midseason transition. Over recent months, Miami has had the NBA’s worst offense, fallen out of automatic playoff contention, endured a 10-game losing streak, only to recover as the season nears its close.

Through their public statements, Adebayo, Herro and head coach Erik Spoelstra have balanced support with accountability as Miami has navigated its peaks and valleys, but Ware has consistently received rave reviews.

In December, before Ware even cracked Spoelstra’s rotation,  Kevin Love praised his rookie teammate’s talent and desire to improve. He related to the challenges of adjusting to the NBA while also recognizing how Ware could carve his own lane while developing in Miami.

“He allows us to have a whole different dynamic, and that’s a luxury for us — for him to put pressure on the rim, block shots and finish shots as well,” Love told The Athletic earlier in the season. “On both sides of the ball, just be big. … We don’t have that seven-foot, dynamic presence, so I think that’s where he’s going to be able to make his mark and continue to grow.”

At that point, Ware was still weeks away from his first career NBA start, but his growth has become obvious. Since Jan. 1, Ware has been one of the most productive rookie big across the league while still learning the game. In that span, he ranks in the top five among first-year players in points (506, fifth), minutes (1,214, fourth), blocks (56, third), made shots (216, second), rebounds (413, first) and double-doubles (14). Ware’s presence has improved Miami’s net rating by 4.7 points in that time, which includes the Heat blocking 5.0 shots per 100 possessions with him on the court compared to 2.9 when he sits.

Ware has also shown incredible skill on offense. He has deft touch around the rim, uses his 7-foot-4 wingspan to finish even the most ambitious lobs and is a viable option as a floor-spacing big man. Although Ware is shooting only 24.1 percent from deep since March 1, he still leads the Heat in overall field goal percentage (58.2) while ranking first in offensive rebounds (40). Those metrics show Ware’s early floor as a scoring option even before he truly masters his contributions on that side.

But highlights like this show why Ware’s potential is immense.

Bam couldn’t believe it either https://t.co/Ju0wvgDOqO pic.twitter.com/QbqjvnCRMn

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) March 26, 2025

“You notice certain stuff, but it’s the freakish athletic stuff (that stands out),” Adebayo said in a one-on-one conversation in March. “It’s certain things in the game where you’ll notice, like, ‘Oh, s—.’ He makes you take a double-take. That speaks to his God-given ability, but also his IQ of the game. He’s one of the players who’s very smart when it comes to reading situations, even though we don’t give him the ball a lot. But when he gets his moments, we’ve seen what he can do.”

Adebayo has also complimented Ware’s ability to routinely process new information. In order to thrive as a starter or role player, the rookie big must stay aware of how to maximize matchups and possessions while maintaining a mature demeanor. Adebayo likes to remind Ware about how he didn’t play much during his rookie season, so the younger player should count the blessings of being trusted despite being so young.

The 2024 NBA Draft wasn’t highly anticipated, but Ware and fellow rookie Pelle Larrson (selected 44th) have been great gets for a Heat front office routinely adept at finding diamonds in the rough. Ware’s ability to immediately contribute has been a welcomed addition for Miami, which has needed his combination of gifts for a long time. The franchise’s path back to contention is partially paved by his promise. In today’s NBA, cost-controlled contracts are more valuable than ever, especially if a player shows an ability to play valuable minutes without eating too much of your salary cap for the foreseeable future.

In a league hungry for the next talented big, the Heat are fortunate to have a 20-year-old center with the talent and mindset to learn and adapt.

“It’s a lot for him, but I feel like he’s handled it well,” Adebayo said. “He’s kept an even-keel mentality. He’s kept a smile on his face when he walks into work, so, for him, he’s been very consistent with his attitude and approach to the game, even if it might go sideways.”

Ware’s 14 double-doubles this season trail only Sherman Douglas and Rony Seikaly (both with 18) for the most by any rookie in Heat history. Although his playing time has been scattered, he has thrived alongside Adebayo, as evidenced by Miami’s 5-2 record this season when both players grab at least 10 rebounds in the same game. Since Ware’s first career start on Jan. 19, the Heat sport a plus-4.1 net rating when he, Adebayo and Herro share the court (446 minutes, per NBA.com), which would rank ninth among all teams over the entire season. Although that figure has come over a small sample size, it allows for optimism about what Miami can rebuild with the help of Ware’s broad shoulders and long reach.

“You can trust him to compete and try to do the right things,” Spoelstra said about Ware on Monday. “He’s a glass-eater. That’s for sure. He finds his way around the basket too, for these really important relief points for us. He’s gaining confidence.”

(Top photo:Vincent Carchietta / USA Today Network via Imagn Images )

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