Miami Heat selects Indiana’s Kel’el Ware with the No. 15 overall pick

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Former Indiana Hoosier Kel’el Ware was selected by the Miami Heat with the 15th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Ware, a 7-foot center, averaged 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game in his lone season under coach Mike Woodson.

Below you will find the preliminary figures from various national media regarding the Heat Picking Ware.

• “Ware has really taken a leap in improvement from his freshman year at Oregon to his sophomore season at Indiana, showing more upside as a big pick-and-roll player while pressuring the rim. His athleticism helps him guard the perimeter off the switch and he has improved his ballhandling, which has led to missed shots starting the break.” — Kristen Peek

• “The Heat have tried several options to be the backup behind Bam Adebayo, but Ware could be the solution they’ve been looking for. He’s an athletic big who stands 7’1″ and can rebound and block shots. He also showed some shooting and self-creation during his season with Indiana. He’s a slender frame, but he’s bigger, which is nice to have behind Bam since he’s undersized for the position, and if Erik Spoelstra can help him develop, he could be a scary player for Miami.” — Noach Rubin

• “Ware is the most polarizing prospect in this class. There are a lot of guys like that, but he’s the most extreme. He’s been that way since high school. He’s got all the tools in the book: size, speed, hands, touch out to the perimeter. But he’s said out loud that he’s not sure how much he loves basketball. There’s been questions about motor, physicality, etc. But coming to the Heat and Heat culture is going to be great for him — unless he doesn’t fit in.” — Adam Finkelstein

• “The most fascinating thing about this pick is that the biggest knock on Ware as a prospect has been his inconsistent engine. For an organization that prides itself on competitiveness and work ethic, marrying Ware seems like an odd fit on paper. That said, it may be exactly what the Indiana product needed to unlock his full potential. You won’t find many college bigs more talented than him in terms of tools. This will be an interesting one to follow long-term. — Kevin Sweeney

• “The Miami Heat seemed determined to add another center to both play alongside and as a replacement for Bam Adebayo. Kel’el Ware was arguably the best center left on the board (though Yves Missi might have something to say about that). It’s tough to say. Ware is big and mobile, which has always been an intriguing combination, but it’s especially useful in today’s pace-and-space environment. He seems physically ready for the NBA at the moment, as he can run in a rim-running, lob-crushing role and maybe even do a bit of perimeter shooting. That shooting potential is a bit of a mystery, though. He also shot a paltry 63.4 percent from the foul line. So who knows how real his improvement will be? Looks good. You never want to doubt Miami’s coaching and development staff, but is there enough shooting between him and Adebayo (let alone Jimmy Butler) to get big minutes together? Or did the Heat simply use up their first pick after the lottery for a backup big man?” — Zach Buckley

• “Perhaps no one impressed as much in the athletic testing of the combine as Ware. A towering 7-foot center who can move and jump like a forward, he’s made 40 percent of his three-pointers this season (in an extremely small sample size). There’s a world in which his shooting sizzles and he partners with Bam Adebayo long-term, but he’s probably better positioned to be a backup five or a lob threat on a team with a ball-dominant guard, and that’s not the Heat.” — Matthew Winick

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