The Miami Heat have selected their first round pick at 15th overall in the NBA Draft and to much anticipation, it ended up being Kel'el Ware from Indiana University. Standing at seven-foot, the Heat add size to pair up next to star Bam Adebayo which Ware mentioned a few times throughout his first time speaking to the media after his special moment.
It has been known that Miami needed to add size whether it be through free agency or the NBA Draft as Ware fills in that need nicely, but it is his other traits that jump off the page like his athleticism despite his measurements. Ware would talk about the possible future of playing with Adebayo who in this scenario, would move back to the power forward role.
“I feel like I'll be able to fit well in with the Heat, you know, just being at that five position to help Bam out with him, you know, potentially going to the four and just being able to space the floor out,” Ware said to the local media after being selected with the 15th overall pick. “Everything would be much easier for the whole team especially moving fast pace up and down the court so I feel like I'm able to bring a lot to the team.”
Ware talks about being excited to play with Heat's Adebayo, Jimmy Butler
Adebayo was originally at the four spot coming out of college, but has transitioned in to becoming the permanent center for the Heat as he brings the team elite defense, athleticism, and quickness as his size is not traditional for the position. With the pick of Ware, it could signal a schematic change, but in the meantime, the 20-year old is excited to get to work alongside Adebayo and other Miami stars like Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro.
“He's a phenomenal player,” Ware said of Adebayo. “So it's just being beside him. You know, not even just him. You know being besides Jimmy, being beside Tyler, just learning from them guys, and seeing what they've been through in their year of playing in the NBA, and that'll take my game up I feel like even faster, like times two.”
Ware has only played two seasons in college where the first came with the University of Oregon while the second and last came with Indiana as said before. In his final collegiate season, he averaged 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, and a whopping 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 58.6 percent from the field.
Ware joins productive Heat first round picks in the middle of round one
As expected, Ware worked out with Miami during the process before Wednesday's NBA Draft where there was no doubt that the Heat were impressed by what they saw from his athleticism. shot-blocking, and other traits. Ware also has expectations since the past draft picks in the middle of the first round from the Heat have been stellar in Adebayo (2017), Herro (2019), and recently with Jaime Jaquez Jr. (2023) out of UCLA.
At any rate, Ware is hoping to make an impact immediately as the Heat are coming off of a year where they had a 46-36 record which put them at the eighth seed for the second straight season as they were eliminated by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.
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