Kel'el Ware #7 of the Miami Heat attempts a shot against the Boston Celtics during the first half at TD Garden on December 19, 2025 in Boston. Brian Fluharty Getty Images
With the Miami Heat taking a relatively young and unproven roster into this season, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has made one thing clear over the first few months of the schedule.
“I’m going to embrace the unknown, that’s not a negative thing,” Spoelstra said in October. “I want there to be some surprises as we move forward in this season.”
One of the biggest surprises of the season so far? Second-year center Kel’el Ware’s ultra-efficient three-point shooting.
Ware, a 7-footer, entered Thursday night’s matchup against the Pistons in Detroit shooting an eye-opening 47.3% on 2.8 three-point attempts per game this season.
Among the 174 NBA players who entered Thursday with at least 90 three-point attempts this season, Ware’s three-point shooting percentage ranks third behind only Memphis Grizzlies guard Cam Spencer and Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis. And among the 23 centers around the NBA who have put up at least 70 threes this season, Ware ranks first.
“I want to be open to the development of our young players,” Spoelstra said when asked about Ware’s impressive outside shooting. “Like I said in training camp, there is an element of unknown. But I want there to be some surprises. I want guys to improve. I want them to gain confidence as the season goes on. Young players, it doesn’t happen for every single one of them at the exact same time. And it doesn’t happen as linear growth. So I want to be open to that growth.
“[Ware] has spent a lot of time on his shooting. I don’t want to over-coach that because he has great touch. Because of how we do things, he’ll be out there and sometimes he’ll be in the inside. I want him to be efficient in both areas. But I do want him to have confidence that his game is improving, and he’s finding more ways to impact winning.”
Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware (7) takes a shot as Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate (14) defends in the second half of their NBA game at Kaseya Center on Oct. 28, 2025, in Miami. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Ware, 21, has been especially hot from behind the arc recently. He has shot 59.4% on 4.6 three-point attempts per game over the Heat’s seven games leading into Thursday’s contest in Detroit.
Has it gotten to the point that the Heat will start drawing up plays to create clean three-point opportunities for Ware?
“I don’t know. I’m not going to over talk it. I’m not,” Spoelstra said. “How does it help us to walk through every step of our offense to you guys? The general part of it is I want him to gain confidence. We’re coaching him hard in the details. But his talent is obvious and the potential is obvious. We just want him to continue to stack good days. And that’s on both sides of the floor.”
One thing is for sure, Ware continues to improve on both ends of the court.
Ware, who the Heat took with the 15th overall pick in last year’s NBA Draft, entered Thursday averaging 12.6 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. The only three players in the league who are 21 years old or younger and averaging a double-double this season are Ware, San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama and Portland’s Donovan Clingan.
“We just want to be open to the possibilities with Kel’el,” Spoelstra said. “He has great potential. He’s getting better. It’s not a linear improvement. Sometimes there are big jumps. Sometimes it’s a step back. And that’s what typically happens with young players. But I just really appreciate his approach every day. He comes in everyday open to the coaching and us driving him to get to a higher level.”
JAKUCIONIS TALK
After playing in eight G League games early this season, Heat rookie guard Kasparas Jakucionis has spent the last month in the NBA but his playing time continues to fluctuate.
Jakucionis, 19, played double-digit minutes in five straight games in December because of the Heat’s injury issues. He even made his first NBA start during that stretch.
But Jakucionis logged just three minutes in Monday’s win over the Denver Nuggets, with that playing time coming late in the Heat’s blowout victory.
“All of it is important,” Spoelstra said when asked about the balance of getting Jakucionis game minutes but also keeping him around the team instead of sending him to the G League. “The eight games that he had in Sioux Falls were important. The time with us is important. The player development is important. In a perfect world, yeah, he’s playing. But also being around and being available also helps with the mental part of it. But I like what he’s been doing. I still marvel at the fact that he’s a teenager and how he carries himself with the maturity and his approach. It’s very unique.”