2024-25 Miami Heat Player Review: Kel’el Ware

The player review series is officially back! We are nearly one month removed from the conclusion of the 2024-25 Miami Heat season, which was one of the worst since the turn of the century. Over the next several (week)days, we have reviewed how each Heat player performed throughout the 2024-25 season, recapping important numbers, best game(s), and their future outlook with the team. Today, our 15th and final review will be on standout rookie big man Kel’el Ware.

Let’s dive into it— and if you’ve missed any of our previous reviews, click below!

• Bam Adebayo
• Kyle Anderson
• Alec Burks
• Tyler Herro
• Haywood Highsmith
• Jaime Jaquez Jr.
• Keshad Johnson
• Nikola Jovic
• Pelle Larsson
• Kevin Love
• Davion Mitchell
• Duncan Robinson
• Terry Rozier
• Andrew Wiggins

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Brief Overview:

2024-25 stats (64 games):

• 9.3 PTS
• 7.4 REB
• 1.1 BLKS
• 0.6 STLS
• 22.2 MIN
• 55.4 FG%
• 31.5 3P%
• 60.3 TS%

Despite showing plenty of talent, skill and even ceiling-raising potential for the Heat in their 2025 summer league championship run, Ware came into the season very raw and unpolished. The vision of finally sliding Bam Adebayo over to a more comfortable power forward position was always there in utilizing Miami’s new 7-foot big man. Unfortunately, coach Erik Spoelstra opted to take the patient approach with Ware’s first season development.

However, it didn’t take much for him to turn heads around the league as soon as he became a staple in the Heat’s rotation. His efficient and versatile style of play made him a player capable of being both a serious lob threat and someone that can provide floor spacing behind the 3-point line. On the defensive end, Ware’s athleticism and rim protection gave Spoelstra an asset that the team hasn’t had in quite some time.

Numbers To Note:

36 – Even though Ware became an integral part to the Heat’s season, Spoelstra’s reluctance to work his new rookie in limited him to just 64 total appearances across the 82-game schedule. Additionally, he only started alongside Adebayo for 36 of those games. And the on-court production looked promising between Miami’s newest big man duo in the frontcourt.

For years, the Heat were one of the smallest teams in the entire league, which featured a 6-foot-9 Adebayo as an undersized center. And with Ware taking time to burst onto the scene this year, Adebayo manned down the big man position to start the 2024-25 campaign once again. However, he went through some concerning offensive struggles early on— until Ware’s lineup presence came into the fold to make things easier on Miami’s captain.

55.4 – Ware’s fit wound up working out well for plenty of reasons, most notably his two-way talent. But his efficiency is worth talking about, where the big posted an encouraging 55.4% from the field on the season. On top of that, he had a true shooting over percentage over 60%, as his rim finishing ability quickly became a true lob threat to opposing teams.

His 3-point game is still a work in progress for sure, but he even displayed outside shooting capabilities as well. The improving floor spreading will only help the Heat lineup flourish even more as years go by.

Best game?

Right around the start of the new year on January 19, 2025, Ware’s true breakout opportunity came in a win against the San Antonio Spurs at home. Amidst all the Jimmy Butler drama, Heat Nation got something to feel excited about again as Ware finally emerged into Spoelstra’s rotation. And the talented 7-footer took full advantage, tying a season-high of 25 points to go along with eight rebounds and two blocks on an efficient 10 of 19 shooting overall (52.6%).

Even more impressively, he did so in a bench role while playing a season-high 34 minutes. He essentially looked so promising that he forced Spoelstra’s hand in making the long overdue lineup change that Heat fans were hoping for.

What’s next?

The future is extremely bright for the soon-to-be sophomore Ware. Even without getting real playing time until about midway through the season, he still earned a nod on the NBA’s All-Rookie second team. He has all the tools, talent, and most notably the versatile size necessary to be a highly impactful player for years to come. And at just 21 years old, he’s shown he can be a difference maker even multiple years away from his mid-20s.

It really just comes down to the possibility of Ware being traded in a potential Kevin Durant acquisition, he will assuredly be a coveted asset in the eyes of the Phoenix Suns in such framework. However, the Heat will absolutely try their best to get it done without dangling him in talks, and have plenty of other pieces that can make such a blockbuster deal happen.

If KD finds his way to South Florida while keeping Ware in the mix, a Durant/Adebayo/Ware frontcourt would pose as one of the most lethal in the entire association.

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