Miami Heat Rookie Kel'el Ware Entering With High Expectations

Ke'el Ware is going into his first season expecting to see the floor quite a bit. He will develop under "Heat Culture" really well.

Jul 7, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware (7) dribbles against the Sacramento Kings at Chase Center. /Noah Graham/Getty Images / /

Fresh out of Indiana University, Kel’el Ware is ready to make his mark with the Heat.

Bam Adebayo and the Heat training staff are the perfect mentors for Ware going into his first year in the league. An efficient 33 percent shooter from the 3-point line and just over 50 percent shooting, the 7-foot center is a good fit for the team. The expectation for him this season is backing up Adebayo.

Ware should be playing primarily as a rim protector, and potentially play as a stretch five. He is expected to also bring a strong defensive inside presence.

Miami’s coaching staff and established veterans will develop the freshman center into a solid defensive big man this year. He played really well in the summer league, having two 20-point double-doubles. It is summer league, so it is not up against the best of the best in the NBA, but seeing the potential early on is always a good sign. Ware probably won’t be having double-doubles every game, but we should see his upside on the defensive end and on the boards this season.

Setting these expectations for Ware is not unrealistic, as he could definitely become a better player, and more aggressive on the boards, through “Heat Culture.” Ware will bring a solid defensive presence off of the bench this year, and it will be exciting to see what he can bring to the team for the future.

Ryan Diamond is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at radiamond15@gmail.com

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