Heat’s New Franchise Player? NBA Champion Thinks Kel’el Ware Has What it Takes to Lead Miami to Glory

After not being in the Miami Heat’s rotation for the majority of the first half of the season, Kel’el Ware has thrived ever since he became their new starting center.

Since earning starter minutes, Ware has averaged 12.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks on 47.3 percent shooting and 23.6 percent from three-point range.

Standing at 7 feet, Ware gave the Heat much-needed size alongside Bam Adebayo. The big man duo has raised their defensive ceiling, as Ware protects the rim and Adebayo roams all over the court as a phenomenal help-defender.

While his offensive skills aren’t as polished yet, Ware gives Tyler Herro another lob threat whenever he drives to the basket. His size has also allowed him to take advantage of potential offensive rebounds and putback baskets.

Bobby Portis wasn’t surprised by Ware’s sudden rise to a starting position as a rookie. In an interview with NBA.com’s Steve Aschburner, Portis explained how he heard of his talent back when Ware was in grade school.

“Heard about him when he was in sixth grade,” Portis said. “He had a lot of raw talent, but at first, his biggest thing was he didn’t have a motor. He didn’t really play hard. I like that he’s with the Heat because, obviously, they’ll instill that motor in him. He’ll work, and then he’ll just keep getting better. His upside is limitless.”

The Heat are moving in a much younger direction after trading Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors. Ware is undoubtedly one of the key players for their future success. Portis believes landing with the Heat was a perfect fit for his career improvement if he continues to work hard.

“He’s got a super-bright future,” Portis continued. “A chance to make a lot of money. He’s got to keep his head on straight. Stay out of trouble. Keep working hard. He’s with a great organization to keep him focused. But the biggest things are staying confident, and going out there, and stacking good game after good game. See where you end up at.”

MIAMI HEAT’S TYLER HERRO WINS THREE-POINT CONTEST AT ALL-STAR WEEKEND

Despite the Miami Heat’s start to the season highlighted by plenty of drama due to Jimmy Butler’s eventual exit, Tyler Herro has been one of the team’s main bright spots

Herro has had a career year in nearly every aspect of his game. He has statistically improved in multiple categories, which has led to his first All-Star appearance.

Another event he was selected to participate in was the Three-Point contest. Although he’s struggled from the perimeter for several consecutive games, those struggles didn’t prevent him from winning the competition.

Herro scored 19 in the event’s first round and trailed Buddy Hield’s 31 and Darius Garland’s 24. Damian Lillard, who has won the contest two straight times, came up two points short of eliminating Herro as he moved to the contest’s final round.

In the last round, Herro finished with a very respectable 24 points. Hield and Garland couldn’t continue their hot shooting from the previous round, as they both came up short with 23 and 17 points.

Herro became the fifth Heat player to win the Three-Point contest. The others who won were Glen Rice in 1995, Jason Kapono in 2007, Daequan Cook in 2009, and James Jones in 2011.

The next event for Herro to participate in is the All-Star game representing the Eastern Conference.

HEAT VS MAVERICKS TAKEAWAYS: HUGE NIGHT FROM TYLER HERRO NOT ENOUGH

The Miami Heat (25-28) lost their fourth consecutive game against the Dallas Mavericks (30-26) 118-113.

Here’s a look at four major takeaways from the matchup:

1. Tyler Herro was the primary source of offense throughout the game.

Herro finished with 40 points, eight rebounds, and three assists on 50 percent shooting and 21.4 percent from three-point range. He had 17 points in the second quarter. This was an impressive showcase for Herro because it displayed how much he has improved at attacking the basket. The only flaw of his night was shooting 3 of 14 from the perimeter.

2. Kel’el Ware shined as the only center active for the Heat.

Without Bam Adebayo and Kevin Love, Ware was the only big. He finished with 17 points, nine rebounds, and one block on 57.1 percent shooting and missed all three of his attempts from the perimeter. Since being introduced to the starting lineup, Ware originally got a lot of shot attempts. This hasn’t been the case recently, but he took full advantage of the Maverick’s lack of a center.

3. Kyle Anderson had his best game for the Heat so far.

Anderson finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists on 60 percent shooting and didn’t attempt any shots from the perimeter. Without Andrew Wiggins due to an illness, the Heat put him in the starting lineup, where he had his first double-double performance since 2023. Because of Jaime Jaquez Jr’s inconsistent season, Anderson may be able to gain more minutes as a key part of the roster as everyone gets healthy after the All-Star break.

4. Alec Burks continues to show his veteran value.

Burks finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, and four assists on 42.9 percent shooting and 40 percent from three-point range. As bleak as the Heat’s offense has been lately, he has not been one of them. Nearly every time he’s gotten at least 20 minutes of playing time this season, Burks has been one of the most productive scorers for them. The Heat needed his scoring because they were missing Wiggins and Adebayo.