MIAMI – With the Miami Heat's rebounding numbers costing the team games, as some are looking at Kel'el Ware to bring a boost to that aspect of the game, he's been receiving some key advice behind the scenes. Heat legend Udonis Haslem would share the conversation he had with Ware after Friday's loss against the New York Knicks, as the young star revealed what it's like to be in communication with him.
Haslem was on the Amazon Prime broadcast of the NBA Cup game, saying that he messaged Ware about getting all the film of him against Mitchell Robinson and watching how effective he was getting boards, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Ware is no doubt seen as a foundational piece to Miami with his impressive traits and mark he had on the game in his rookie season, though currently in his second, it's been up-and-down.
Though starting, the results have been middling, averaging 10.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game, while shooting 52.4 percent from the field. Speaking to ClutchPoints in a one-on-one exclusive interview, Ware would speak on taking Haslem's advice, citing him as not only someone to look up to, but a player who prides himself in rebounds, having the most in franchise history.
“I mean, it's good to, you know, always have most people in my corner, you know, especially UD, who's somebody who hangs their head on rebounding. After every game, him texting me and just listening to what he has to say. And actually taking that in, and wanting to get better myself,” Ware said.
Heat's Erik Spoelstra on Kel'el Ware “stacking good days”
Despite Ware's inconsistent start to the Heat's season, there is no denying the talent that is within the 22-year-old, serving as an athletic seven-footer who runs the floor quickly, while having the right tools on the offensive side. Still, the activity on the glass is a work in progress, which is getting the help of Miami's best rebounder, and having a mentor like Haslem helps, as he did for captain Bam Adebayo.
“You respect somebody that's so selfless,” Adebayo said to ClutchPoints on Sunday. “He's doing something completely different on the broadcast and still texting guys, telling them what he sees and trying to still impact our culture.”
Head coach Erik Spoelstra has been no doubt on Ware to be the best version of himself, challenging him every step of the way, knowing there is a star player to unlock. Before Monday's game against the Knicks, Spoelstra would speak on Haslem being a mentor to the team and how Ware has been “stacking good days.”
“He just continues to be a great mentor, he pours his energy into these guys, he just wants to see them succeed,” Spoelstra said/ “That's a great thing. Even though he's working, you know, with Prime and he's got a busy schedule, he's still invested in everything that we're doing. And wants to help and wants to be a resource, and they all take advantage of it. Kel'el's been stacking up good days. It doesn't mean it's going to guarantee, like you play well, but I'm encouraged. My experience says you keep on stacking up those days, eventually there's a breakthrough.”
Asked Erik Spoelstra on Udonis Haslem mentoring Kel’el Ware, as the Heat legend mentioned on the Prime broadcast:
“He just continues to be a great mentor…even though he’s working with Prime…he’s still invested…Kel’el has been stacking up good days…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/1X6rxXiOeI
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) November 17, 2025
Heat's Kel'el Ware on the motivation to rebound better
With the Heat sporting its new offense, there's no denying that Ware fits the fast-paced style, making his traits all the more worthwhile to the team, especially giving them size. Still, the team wants to see winning play from Ware, especially on the glass, though it's a team effort, rather than the blame fully going on Ware, with Adebayo out with a toe injury.
Ware would say to ClutchPoints that there is motivation for Miami to get better in that area, but it has the right mindset in leaving the “past in the past.”
“I mean, of course, I feel like as a team, you want to win every game anyway. So I want to say the extra motivation, you got to go out there, do what we do,” Ware said. “Because, I mean, it's the NBA, you know, you got a game really, every other day. So you got to focus on the next game that comes up and just leave the past in the past.”
“It’s something that the whole team has to work on,” Ware continued on rebounding. “We're working on it every day, you know, just trying to get better, to improve our standings of the rebounds and allowing the offensive rebounds in the game,” Ware continued.
The Heat are working to fix allowing the most second-chance points in the NBA with 20.1, and also having the league's third-worst defensive rebounding percentage, which is the percentage of available defensive rebounds a team gets, at 66.1 percent. At any rate, Ware is going through the typical life of a young NBA player, with the next step being to learn from his mistakes, with the reward possibly being huge for Miami.
