Inside The Heat

Could the Miami Heat find strength in Kel'el Ware?

Ethan J. Skolnick|
Apr 13, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware (7) shoots against the Washington Wizards during the first half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
Apr 13, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware (7) shoots against the Washington Wizards during the first half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

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Miami Heat

Is the transformation happening?

When asked how he could improve, during a promising rookie season, Miami Heat first round pick Kel'el Ware typically kept it simple:

"Get stronger."

This necessity became apparent when he got bullied by some of the league's more physical centers, with Ivica Zubac's destruction of Ware coming to mind.

Well, after a summer in which Erik Spoelstra challenged Ware's "professionalism" in an effort to get more effort out of him, and it seemed to work in the two summer league games that followed, it appears that Ware has put in increased time in the weight room as well.

And the social media posts have started to come.

This one as well.

If Ware can play more physically, it will take some burden off Bam Adebayo, who will have enough on his plate now that the team's other longest-tenured player (and top scorer) Tyler Herro will miss the first month of the season or more following ankle surgery.

Ware did show some offensive diversity as a rookie, developing a comfortable hook and stepping out to the three-point arc at times. But what the Heat need most is someone who can consistently get to the line, and any increase in strength will be helpful to absorb contact and attract foul calls.

The Heat don't want Ware to become too bulky; they want him to gain productive weight in a way that won't limit his agility, much the same way it's worked for others in their program, most recently Nikola Jovic -- who just happens to be Ware's primary competition for a starting spot.

Ware had a shot to be first-time All-Rookie if he'd started earlier as a rookie. Whether he starts or not, he will be counted on heavily on a team with a shallow frontcourt and not a lot of proven options.

The offseason work that's showing on his arms seems to be a good sign.

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Ethan J. Skolnick
ETHAN J. SKOLNICK

Ethan has covered all major sports -- in South Florida and beyond -- since 1996 and is one of the longest-tenured fully credentialed members of the Miami Heat. He has covered, in total, more than 30 NBA Finals, Super Bowls, World Series and Stanley Cup Finals. After working full-time for the Miami Herald, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, Bleacher Report and several other outlets, he founded the Five Reasons Sports Network in 2019 and began hosting the Five on the Floor podcast as part of that network. The podcast is regularly among the most downloaded one-team focused NBA podcasts in the nation, and the network is the largest independent sports outlet in South Florida, by views, listens and social media reach. He has a B.A. from The Johns Hopkins University and an M.S. from Columbia University. TWITTER: @EthanJSkolnick and @5ReasonsSports EMAIL: fllscribe@gmail.com

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