Summer League Report: Kel'el Ware

NAME: Kel'el Ware

TEAM: Miami Heat (Summer League)

HEIGHT: 7-0

WEIGHT: 240

AGE: 20

WINGSPAN: 7-4.5

POSITION: C

During the 2024 NBA Summer League, Kel’el Ware proved to be quite the asset for a team who hoped to have another promising big play alongside Bam Adebayo in the Miami Heat. An elite rebounder and post defender, he also holds promise as a floor-spacer.

STRENGTHS:

● Rebounding: Ware is an effective rebounder beyond capable of using his length to snag boards over even heftier opponents in the low post.

● Finishing: Ware is a strong finisher around the basket, both as a lob threat and as a strong big who muscles his way through defenders.

● Efficiency: Ware is a fairly efficient scorer, particularly inside. He finished the summer shooting 58.4% from the field.

● Defense: Pleasantly pleased with how well Ware plays the pick and roll, doing a fine job of gliding back to the rim and staying in between his man and the ball-handler, using his length and decisive decision-making to disrupt lob passes, bounce passes and shot attempts.

BODY/ATHLETICISM:

● Strength: Ware is particularly strong, being able to finish strong using his shoulders to fend them off.

● Length: Standing at 7 feet tall, his wingspan exceeds that by more than 4 inches. He uses his size best to defend the post and finish high above defenders.

WEAKNESSES:

● Hustle: There have been complaints about Ware’s hustle, getting up and down court as well as hustling for boards at times.

● Awareness: Ware can have a tendency to get caught ball watching and get lost in defensive spacing. Smaller personnel that he’s assigned to often speed past him and cut inside to find an easy look.

SHOOTING:

● Free Throw Shooting: Ware made just 25 of his 37 free throw attempts, landing a 67.6% mark from the charity stripe. Room for improvement.

● Advanced Stats: Ware’s effective field goal percentage was a solid 56.4%, signaling him as a positive offensive contributor. Moreover, he put up a 62.24 true shooting percentage, well above the elite 60% mark, a testament to his ability to score.

● Three-Point Shooting: Ware has a good stroke from deep. Though he shot 3/15 (20%) from 3-point range, the mechanics are present, the shot can be developed over time.

DEFENSE/REBOUNDING:

● Post Defense: Ware averaged just shy of 2 blocks a game and notched a personal high of 4 steals in his summer league match against the Toronto Raptors (averaged 0.75 steals a game).

● Rebounding: Ware averaged 8.25 rebounds through 8 games of play. He averaged just under 2 offensive boards a game within the same stretch.