| No. 7 – Miami Heat | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Center | ||||||||||||||
| League | NBA | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (2004-04-20)April 20, 2004 (age 21) | ||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | North Little Rock (North Little Rock, Arkansas) | ||||||||||||||
| College | |||||||||||||||
| NBA draft | 2024: 1st round, 15th overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Drafted by | Miami Heat | ||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 2024–present | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| 2024–present | Miami Heat | ||||||||||||||
| 2024 | →Sioux Falls Skyforce | ||||||||||||||
| Career highlights | |||||||||||||||
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Stats at NBA.com  | |||||||||||||||
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |||||||||||||||
Medals
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Kel'el Ware (/kəˈlɛlwɛər/kə-LELL wair;[1] born April 20, 2004) is an Americanbasketball player for theMiami Heat of theNational Basketball Association (NBA). He playedcollege basketball for theOregon Ducks and theIndiana Hoosiers.
Kel’el Ware was born on April 20, 2004, inNorth Little Rock, Arkansas, and attendedNorth Little Rock High School from 2018 to 2022.[2] As a junior, he averaged 16.2 points, 9.1 rebounds and 4.1 blocks per game. As a senior, Ware averaged 20.3 points, 12 rebounds and 5.7 blocks per game.[3] He also played in theJordan Brand Classic,Nike Hoop Summit and the2022 McDonald's All-American Boys Game during his senior year.[4][5][6]
Ware was a consensus five-starrecruit and one of the top players in the 2022 class, according to major recruiting services.[7] On August 9, 2021, he committed to playing college basketball forOregon over offers fromArkansas,Auburn,Baylor,Illinois,Kansas,Memphis,Texas A&M andTexas Tech.[8] Ware was also offered a two-year contract for $900,000 fromOvertime Elite, but he declined the offer and maintained his commitment to Oregon.[9]
| Name | Hometown | School | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kel'el Ware C | North Little Rock, AR | North Little Rock (AR) | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | Aug 9, 2021 | |
Recruit ratings:Rivals:  247Sports: ESPN: (93) | ||||||
| Overall recruit ranking: Rivals: 7 247Sports: 7 ESPN: 8 | ||||||
Sources:
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Ware entered his freshman season at Oregon as the Ducks' second center.[10] He also entered the season as a potential first-round selection in the2023 NBA draft.[11] After averaging 26 minutes played, 10.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks over the first nine games of the season, Ware saw a decline in playing time due to what Oregon's coaching staff believed to be an inconsistent work ethic.[12] He ultimately averaged 6.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game on the season. At the end of the season, Ware entered the NCAA transfer portal.[13]
Ware ultimately transferred toIndiana.[14] He started at center in the Hoosiers' season-opener againstFlorida Gulf Coast and recorded the firstdouble-double of his college career with 13 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals as Indiana won 69–63.[15] Ware set a new career high with 22 points scored while also grabbing 12 rebounds on November 16, 2023, in a 89–80 victory overWright State.[16] He re-set his career high in scoring with 28 points in a 89–76 win overHarvard.[17] After the season, Ware declared for the2024 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility.[18]
Ware was selected with the 15th overall pick by theMiami Heat in the2024 NBA draft[19] and on July 2, 2024, he signed with the Heat.[20]
Ware made his NBA debut on October 23, 2024, in a 116–97 loss to theOrlando Magic.[21]
On January 23, 2025, Ware scored 20+ points in 3 straight games in games against the Spurs, Trail Blazers and the Bucks which earned him the Rookie of the Month award.[citation needed]
On April 19, 2025, Ware helped the Heat beat theAtlanta Hawks in the Play-In Tournament, and he made his Playoffs debut in a 121-100 loss to theCleveland Cavaliers on April 20, 2025.[citation needed]
Ware played for theUnited States under-18 basketball team at the2022 FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship.[22] He was named to the All-Tournament team after averaging 15.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks as the United States won the gold medal.[23]
Ware is the son of Tamika and Cedrick Spaight (stepfather).[24] He has two brothers, Javarus Ware and Kashis Spaight and two sisters, Dyamyn Ware and Jazzmyn Spaight.[25]
His mother named him after Superman’s Kryptonian name, Kal-El.[26]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | Miami | 64 | 36 | 22.2 | .554 | .315 | .687 | 7.4 | .9 | .6 | 1.1 | 9.3 |
| Career | 64 | 36 | 22.2 | .554 | .315 | .687 | 7.4 | .9 | .6 | 1.1 | 9.3 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Miami | 4 | 4 | 18.3 | .444 | .273 | – | 4.8 | 1.0 | .3 | .5 | 4.8 |
| Career | 4 | 4 | 18.3 | .444 | .273 | – | 4.8 | 1.0 | .3 | .5 | 4.8 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | Oregon | 35 | 4 | 15.8 | .457 | .273 | .712 | 4.1 | .5 | .4 | 1.3 | 6.6 |
| 2023–24 | Indiana | 30 | 30 | 32.2 | .586 | .425 | .634 | 9.9 | 1.5 | .6 | 1.9 | 15.9 |
| Career | 65 | 34 | 23.3 | .538 | .337 | .660 | 6.7 | 1.0 | .5 | 1.6 | 10.9 | |
My real dad is 6'6" and my mom's dad was 6'6" too.
