Miami Heat’s Kel`el Hoping To Build Off Career Night Versus Spurs

The game began as a showcase for an agile, young 7-footer.

It went exactly as expected but it was a different player in the spotlight.

The Miami Heat finally got a glimpse of the potential for 7-1 rookie center Kel`el Ware. He finished with 25 points and eight rebounds in a victory Sunday against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.

It was the first time the Heat played primarily with the frontcourt of Ware and Bam Adebayo.

“I was excited,” Ware said. “Me and Bam been wanting it to happen. Just for it to happen, we had to make the best of it for the first time.”

Ware also had two rebounds and two blocks in 34 minutes. Wembanyama, the reigning Rookie of the Year, finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

It was the most playing time this season for Ware, who has been brought along slowly. The Heat chose him at No. 15 out of Indiana. Many felt he was drafted so he could provide relief for Adebayo, who is considered undersized for a center by most standards.

The performance could lead to the Heat eventually moving Adebayo to play full-time at power forward.

“In practice, he would do certain spurts with me and Bam to see what it looks like,” Ware said. “I guess kind of testing it first before you actually test it in the game.”

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at [email protected]

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