2024 NBA Draft Grades: Miami Heat Select Indiana's Kel'el Ware No. 15 Overall

Opinions vary on the Miami Heat's decision to take Indiana center Kel'el Ware with the No 15 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Kel'el Ware pictured before the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Former Indiana Hoosier Kel'el Ware was selected by the Miami Heat with the No. 15 overall pick in 2024 NBA Draft.

Ware, a 7-foot center, averaged 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game in his lone season under coach Mike Woodson.

Here are the draft grades from various national media outlets in regards to the Heat picking Ware.

B+, Yahoo! Sports

"Ware really made a jump in improvement from his freshman year at Oregon to his sophomore season at Indiana, showing more upside as a pick-and-roll big while putting pressure on the rim. His athleticism helps him guard the perimeter off the switch and he's improved his ball-handling, starting the break off missed shots." -- Krysten Peek

"The Heat have tried multiple options to be the backup behind Bam Adebayo, but Ware may be the solution that they have been looking for. He’s an athletic big that stands 7’1” and can rebound and block shots. He also showcased some shooting and self-creation upside during his season at Indiana. He has a slender frame, but he is a taller big, which is nice to have behind Bam, since he is undersized for his position. Ware has a ton of upside, and if Erik Spoelstra can help him develop, he could turn into a scary player for Miami." -- Noah Rubin

"Ware is the most polarizing prospect in this class. There are a lot of those guys, but he's the most extreme. He's been that way since high school. He has every single tool in the book: size, speed, hands, touch out to the perimeter. But he's said out loud he's not sure how much he loves basketball. There have been questions about motor, physicality, etc. But going to the Heat and Heat culture will be great for him -- unless he can't fit in." -- Adam Finkelstein

"What’s most fascinating about this pick is that the primary knock on Ware as a prospect has been his inconsistent motor. For an organization that prides itself on competitiveness and work ethic, a marriage with Ware seems off-brand on paper. That said, maybe it’s exactly what the Indiana product needed to unlock his full potential. Tools-wise, you won’t find many college bigs more talented than him. This will be a very interesting one to track long term." -- Kevin Sweeney

"The Miami Heat seemed determined to add another center to play both alongside and in relief of Bam Adebayo. Kel'el Ware was arguably the best center left on the board (though Yves Missi might have something to say about that). It's hard to knock the pick if that was the aim. Ware is big and mobile, which has always been an intriguing combination, but it's especially helpful in today's pace-and-space environment. He looks physically ready for the NBA right now, as he could walk into a rim-running, lob-crushing role and perhaps add a pinch of perimeter shooting as well. That shooting potential is a bit mysterious, though. The gains he made this past season (42.5 percent from three) came on low volume (40 attempts in 30 games). He also shot a paltry 63.4 percent from the foul line. So, who knows how real his improvement will prove? Tack on some concerns regarding his physicality and feel for the game, and he's far from a sure thing despite looking the part. You never want to doubt Miami's coaching and developmental staff, but is there enough shooting between him and Adebayo (let alone Jimmy Butler) to log major minutes together? Or did the Heat just use the first pick after the lottery on a backup big man?" -- Zach Buckley

"Perhaps no one impressed in the combine's athletic testing as much as Ware did. A massive 7-foot center who can move and jump like a forward, he hit 40% of his threes this season (in an extremely small sample). There's a world in which his shooting pops and he works alongside Bam Adebayo long term, but he's probably better poised to be a backup five or a lob threat on a team with a ball-dominant guard, and that isn't the Heat." -- Matthew Winick