The Miami Heat believes in the potential of 21-year-old center Kel’el Ware. This offseason has served as confirmation of that.
The Heat essentially made Ware off-limits in trade discussions with the Phoenix Suns for Kevin Durant this month, leading the Suns to eventually deal Durant to the Houston Rockets.
During the Heat’s NBA Draft party on Wednesday at Kaseya Center during the first round, former Heat All-Star center and current Heat executive Alonzo Mourning vocalized the organization’s belief in Ware as part of an interview on WQAM 560.
“My first words to him were, ‘Welcome and let’s get to work,’” Mourning recalled regarding his first conversation with Ware after the Heat took him with the 15th overall pick in last year’s draft. “And I told him, I said, ‘You have the potential to be one of the greatest players in Miami Heat franchise history. You have that potential. But you got to put in the work.’ And that’s how we started off the conversation.
“He’s done just that. You think about how he started the season and how he ended it, he’s made incredible strides. So if we can continue to see that type of progress, then we’re on our way as a franchise.”
Ware made tremendous progress during his rookie season, earning consistent minutes and then being promoted to a starting role in January after logging double-digit minutes in just two of the Heat’s first 25 games this past regular season. The 7-foot Ware started next to the 6-foot-9 Bam Adebayo to form a double-big lineup for the final three months of the season.
“That was a great experience in itself,” Ware said Wednesday of playing alongside Adebayo as part of an in-arena interview during the Heat’s draft party. “Even just on the court, knowing that I have somebody that’s going to have my back and is able to guard the perimeter players a little bit and just be out there with him. He was a good person to help me while I was on the court, giving me advice.”
After being moved into a full-time starting role, Ware averaged 10.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 54.4% from the field and 21 of 76 (27.6%) on threes during his final 38 regular-season appearances last season. That midseason push was enough for Ware to earn a spot on the NBA All-Rookie second team and place sixth in the NBA’s Rookie of the Year voting.
“It’s a step-by-step process,” Mourning said of Ware’s development during his interview on WQAM. “We know his skill level. We’ve seen it on a regular basis, especially when he’s in practice. We see signs of greatness. Now it’s about putting in the work and developing a level of consistency. It’s just going to happen with time. There’s only so much you can expect from a 20-year-old kid, especially with the pressures of the media and coaches in his ear all the time, traveling and different cities and the crowds and the fans. It’s a whole lot to digest, it really is. But he’s got a bright future, he really does.”
Mourning has already been encouraged by what he has seen from Ware this offseason. Ware has been a regular at the Heat’s Kaseya Center facilities for developmental work, as he prepares to be part of Miami’s summer league squad for the second straight year.
“Mentally, he’s in the right place because it didn’t take too long where he was back in the gym after the season was over with and getting the reps in and doing what he needs to do to be prepared for next season,” Mourning said. “So we’re excited about his growth, we really are. This summer I’ve already seen him getting better in his workouts. He doesn’t have to be here, this is his time off. But that kind of speaks volumes that he has kind of blocked out all of the distractions as a kid.”
Considering last season left a bad taste in Ware’s mouth, he’s motivated.
While the Heat was being swept out of the first round of the playoffs by the Cleveland Cavaliers last season, Ware’s first NBA playoff experience was a rough one. He totaled just 19 pounds, 19 rebounds and two blocks in 73 minutes during the four-game sweep, struggling against the Cavaliers’ starting frontcourt of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen while being targeted on the defensive end in pick-and-rolls.
“All it is is experience to see what it’s about, see what it is,” said Ware, who is due 4.4 million in his second NBA season this upcoming season. “And just coming back next year knowing what you got to do.”
One of Ware’s big goals this summer is to continue to develop his body and add weight after entering the NBA at 230 pounds.
“We noticed the physicality of the game affected him a lot, it really did,” Mourning said, looking back at Ware’s rookie year. “I could name several games where he got moved a little bit too easily at that center position. He got moved around a couple times and he just has to get a little bit more comfortable with his body from that perspective.
“But outside of that, his shot is there and that’s improving and we just need him to be an ultimate defensive force in that paint, especially utilizing his length and athleticism. He can be a phenomenal defensive force. But again, his body has to get stronger. Once his body gets stronger, he’ll get a little bit more confidence in some of the things that he’s capable of doing.”
The bottom line is the Heat believes Ware is capable of doing a lot.
“Continue what I was doing during the season,” Ware said of his approach this offseason. “Just continue to work, continue to get better at my craft to come back better.”