MIAMI – If the measure of a Miami Heat rookie big man is the company you keep, then 2024 first-round pick Kel’el Ware certainly has taken commendable strides since being drafted at No. 15 last June out of Indiana.With Friday night’s 16 points and 14 rebounds in the home loss to the Houston Rockets, Ware became only the fifth rookie over the Heat’s 37 season to record at least 10 double-doubles, and the fourth rookie to do so with rebounds.
More significantly to coach Erik Spoelstra is that Ware is doing it in a playoff race, as the Heat battle for play-in seeding.“This is a discussion point we have constantly as a staff,” Spoelstra said, with the Heat turning their attention to Sunday night’s game against the Charlotte Hornets at Kaseya Center. “Because of our franchise and the standards we have and the expectations we have, even if you’re a young player, you’re not just being gifted minutes.
You can’t just totally play through mistakes.“Even right now, the games that we’ve lost, there still is an expectation that things have to be earned. And he’s learning at an exponential rate, that I think other young guys, you just don’t get that luxury, you’re just being gifted minutes.
Because there’s an accountability to it. And I’ll tell you what, we’re seeing some progress in the little things.”Sherman Douglas (1989-90) and Rony Seiklay (1988-89) share the lead for Heat rookie double-doubles at 18, with Douglas’ total coming through assists.
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