The Miami Heat Struck Gold With Kel'el Ware...

It seems like year after year, the Miami Heat find talent where others don’t. Whether it be other teams free agent scraps or through the draft, their talent scouts have hit again and again. Last year they drafted Jaime Jaquez with the 18th overall pick, and he finished fourth in rookie of the year voting. They drafted Tyler Herro 13th in 2019, and Bam Adebayo 14th in 2017. They have no problem finding high-end talent in the teens. And it seems like they may have just done it again. This year, they selected sophomore big man Kel’el Ware out of Indiana with the 15th pick. It was thought that he could back up Bam, but maybe play alongside him with Bam spending some time at the four as well. It seems like we could see that quickly and often, as Ware may be too good to keep off the floor. In just his second summer league game, Ware finished with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists, dominating the Kings and leading Miami to an easy 16-point victory. He doesn’t look like a rookie out there, and almost looks too polished for summer league already. He catches lobs, fools defenders with pump fakes, and sends shots into the second row. With a smooth finesse to his game and a thin, lanky frame he almost looks reminiscent of a smaller Victor Wembanyama at times. Heat fans have to be thrilled with landing Ware when they did, as he looks like he could be a foundational piece. We’ll have to see how he looks in a more competitive setting in Las Vegas, but so far so good. Kevin Knox has taught all of us to not look too strongly into summer league performances, and even last year we saw Brandon Miller really struggle. But one of the biggest things I’ve loved is how Ware’s play feels complimentary. He understands spacing, where he should be at all times, and catches lobs well. It’s not just high usage performance, it’s play that can translate to his role with the Heat. He shot 40% from deep at Indiana last season as well, which bodes well for him potentially playing alongside Bam Adebayo. The Miami Heat Did It Again With Kel’el Ware.

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