Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. named to 2024 NBA All-Summer League Teams

They may not be the real All-NBA teams, but something is better than nothing!

Miami Heat rookie Kel’el Ware, who they drafted No. 15 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, and second-year forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. were named to the NBA 2K25 All-Summer League teams, the league announced Monday.

Ware was named to the first team while Jaquez–only playing two of their five games–made the second-team. Along with Ware, the first team included second-year forwards GG Jackson (Memphis Grizzlies) and Jordan Miller (Los Angeles Clippers) plus rookie guard Reed Sheppard (Houston Rockets) and guard Scotty Pippen Jr. (Grizzlies).

Accompanying Jaquez on the second team were rookies Bub Carrington (Washington Wizards) and Donovan Clingan (Portland Trail Blazers) plus second-year forwards Jarace Walker (Indiana Pacers) and Jalen Wilson (Brooklyn Nets), who oddly took home the Summer League MVP despite being on the second-team. Figure that one out.

The NBA 2K25 All-Summer League First Team:

GG Jackson II, @memgrizz
Jordan Miller, @LAClippers
Scotty Pippen Jr., @memgrizz
Reed Sheppard, @HoustonRockets
Kel’el Ware, @MiamiHEAT pic.twitter.com/wA1uY38xpg

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) July 22, 2024

The NBA 2K25 All-Summer League Second Team:

Bub Carrington, @WashWizards
Donovan Clingan, @trailblazers
Jaime Jaquez Jr., @MiamiHEAT
Jarace Walker, @Pacers
Jalen Wilson, @BrooklynNets pic.twitter.com/qzBQyCoKBo

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) July 22, 2024

Ware has proven to be one of the NBA’s top rookies in Summer League, despite it being a microscopic sample against inferior competition. You want your best young players to play well. Ware has done just that, averaging 17.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.6 blocks on 58.6 percent shooting and 63.4 percent true-shooting.

In his two games against Boston and Oklahoma City, Jaquez was the best player on the floor and it wasn’t particularly close. He posted 26.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals on 58.1/42.9/81.3 shooting in 56 total minutes. Jaquez, who made All-Rookie second-team after finishing fourth in Rookie of the Year voting, enforced his will whenever he wanted to. Even though he played a team-most 75 games despite battling through a groin injury, Jaquez thought the extra game reps were important to rack up.

“There’s nothing better than getting game reps. You can’t beat it,” Jaquez said, according to The Athletic’s Will Guillory. “All the work that you do in the gym, it doesn’t matter if you can’t translate it to the game. To be able to come out here and compete in Team USA, those are game reps. Here (at summer league), those are game reps. I was happy and grateful to be able to do it.”

“I wanted to work on my game and certain things outside of basketball that still translate, like leadership, being vocal on (offense and defense) and in huddles,” Jaquez said. ‘That’s what I came here to work on.”

Miami’s had other young stars pop during the last few weeks. Isaiah Stevens has been one of the NBA’s top true point guards; Keshad Johnson looks as if he could be a reliable rotation player this season; Josh Christopher, who spent the end of last season with the Sioux Falls Skyforce (Heat’s G-League affiliate), has given reason for people to remember why he’s a first-round pick; Alondes Williams did this to former Heat Summer Leaguer AJ Lawson.

ALONDES WILLIAMS WITH THE DUNK OF THE SUMMER 😱 pic.twitter.com/MlCzMUpBBs

— ESPN (@espn) July 17, 2024

Now, they will be in the Summer League championship game for the first time since the format was implemented over a decade ago.

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This is a developing news story. Stay tuned for updates.

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