Heat Rookie Kel’el Ware Thriving After Return from Injury

Back from injury, Miami’s Kel’el Ware is already finding success.

Dec 21, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA;Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware (7) dunks the ball against the Orlando Magic in the first quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Drafted at No. 15 in the 2024 NBA Draft, few rookies saw the pre-season success that Miami Heat center Kel’el Ware did.

At Summer League, he averaged 18.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in leading his squad to the Las Vegas title. He was a force, shooting a white-host 62% overall in leading the team with stingy two-way play.

His official rookie season, though, has not followed suit just yet.

At the beginning of the season, Ware struggled to find time on court, and when he did he had trouble making a positive impact. For the last several weeks, he’s been hampered by a foot injury, which has exacerbated the issue.

But things are starting to look up.

Ware has played 30 minutes in the team’s last two games, looking much more like his Summer League self. Against Orlando on Dec. 21, Ware added eight points, seven rebounds and two blocks in just 13 minutes of play, finishing as a team-high +26. In a Dec. 23 bout with Brooklyn, he added another nine points, seven rebounds, two steals and one block, again finishing with a positive plus-minus.

There’s little question Ware is going to be a longterm part of the Miami Heat’s currently uncertain future. But him being able to provide backup big minutes now would be a massive boost to the current roster.

Ware could get his next on-court look versus the Orlando Magic tonight, at 6 p.m. CT.

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