Kel’el Ware had a productive preseason debut with the Miami Heat on Tuesday, and the 15th pick in the NBA draft earned praise from head coach Erik Spoelstra afterward.
Ware tied a team high with 13 points, five rebounds, four blocked shots, two steals and one assist in a 111-108 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on the road. He finished by shooting 5-of-9 from the field, including 1-of-3 from 3-point range, in 16 minutes off the bench.
The 7-footer led the second unit in scoring after throwing down several dunks in pick-and-roll situations. He also made his presence felt defensively, blocking three shots on one possession alone. That stood out the most to Spoelstra.
Right away, you noticed him defensively. While he is still learning our system, what it shows and what we’ve been emphasizing to him is that you still have to make plays. The system will get better, but making your presence felt, guarding the rim, blocking shots, going after the ball, rebounding the ball and making sure the opponent feels you when you’re getting to the rim—he had his moments of doing all of those things. … I was encouraged by how he played.
Ware picked up where he left off in the NBA Summer League, where he averaged 18 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, one assist and one steal in six games. Again, he showcased his ability to affect the game in a short stint off the bench, something the team will need throughout the season.
The 20-year-old is expected to play a backup role behind All-Star Bam Adebayo in the rotation. He projects to bring rim protection on the court and should serve as a tremendous lob threat for the team, as he displayed on Tuesday against the Hornets.
“I’m just trying do anything I can to get on the floor, rebound the ball (and) block some shots,” Ware told Heat radio announcer Jason Jackson. “I did a little bit of that tonight, and I was able to score the ball, too, as well.”