Miami Heat rookie Kel’el Ware, a 7-foot-4 out of Indiana, hopes to play alongside Bam Adebayo, but his impact could go much further in year one.
NBA analyst Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report named Ware the Heat’s X-factor for the upcoming season.
“Ware extended his career over a much larger sample size, earning All-Summer League first-team honors after averaging 17.4 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game,” Hugh “He also posted a career-high 66.7 field goal percentage in dunks. Ware, a 20-year-old big man with a high-revving motor, was a strong performer in transition and as an offensive force in the half-court,” the player wrote Saturday.
Ware is one of two rookie centers named X-Factor, joining Zach Edey of the Memphis Grizzlies.
Hughes mentioned Ware poses spacing issues, while also needing to work on his defense. He’s likely to spend his first season as a backup, but could challenge for a starting job sooner than expected.
“He doesn’t have any space on the court yet, and it may be a while before he proves his ability to defend against guards in switching situations, but he may not need those skills to make sense alongside Bam Adebayo in Miami’s rotation,” Hughes wrote.
If Ware gets the starting center job, it would move Adebayo to his more natural position as a power forward.
“It’s not a given that he’ll start, but Ware’s athleticism and energy would go a long way to helping a Heat team that doesn’t have those skills in other ways. If Adebayo finally adds a moderate-volume three-point shot to his repertoire, Ware’s spot will be even better,” Hughes said.
Scott Salomon is a Miami Heat On SI contributor. He can be reached at [email protected].
