Kel’el Ware continues to turn heads with his preseason performances, putting up strong numbers while Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra maintains firm expectations for the young center’s development.
Ware delivered another standout showing on Sunday night, finishing with 24 points, 10 rebounds, an assist, and two steals in just 25 minutes during Miami’s loss to the Orlando Magic.
Spoelstra acknowledged the production but made it clear that his demands of Ware go beyond the stat sheet.
“I would much rather coach somebody who’s willing to be coached, who can put up 24 (points) and 10 (rebounds), and figure out how to get those winning moments during the course of a game,” he said. “That’s where we are.”
The Heat coach has been consistently vocal about Ware’s growth areas. During Summer League, he publicly challenged the young big man, pointing to the need for improved professionalism.
That message has carried over into training camp, with Spoelstra continuing to push him to adopt a winning mindset in addition to producing numbers.
Ware said he embraces the criticism and uses it to fuel his progress.
“I always take anything that the coach says to me as motivation,” he explained. “I take it and I try to impact it into my game, and I try to play as hard as I can. Like I said in the last interview, I was still getting my legs back under me from training camp.”
After exceeding expectations in his rookie year and eventually earning a spot in the starting frontcourt alongside Bam Adebayo, Ware now finds himself competing again for a starting role.
Spoelstra noted that “all things are on the table” when it comes to lineup decisions.
Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald points out that Ware came off the bench in Miami’s first three preseason games and only started Sunday because Adebayo was held out for rest during the first half of a back-to-back.
Heat Notes: Ware, Jakucionis, Adebayo, Mitchell https://t.co/C5ZafKuaOQ pic.twitter.com/Cqv9c0K8rm
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) October 13, 2025
