Heat's Bam Adebayo reveals desires for Kel'el Ware duo
Today at 01:36 PM
MIAMI – With the Miami Heat embarking on a four-game road trip starting Saturday against the San Antonio Spurs, it will be a huge test for first-round pick Kel’el Ware in his new role with the starting lineup. Though he has been impressing, the Heat’s frontcourt duo of Ware along with Bam Adebayo disappointed against the Cleveland Cavaliers as the latter spoke on what he wants to see from the both of them.
The team was vastly out-rebounded by Cleveland while also getting dominated in the paint offensively and defensively which is usually a strength for Miami. Adebayo spoke after Friday’s practice where he spoke about the aspect that should be strengthened the more they play with one another.
“Communication, and it’s not it’s not always being vocal. Sometimes it’s receiving the communication,” Adebayo said. “Those are the things that we’re trying to build. We’re trying to build body language next, next play speed, you know, focus on the little things that matter, a lot of it doesn’t show up in the stat sheet. It doesn’t show up unless you really know the game and watch the game.”
Bam Adebayo on what mistakes and fixes he's looking to make while playing with Kel'el Ware.
"Communication…" #HeatNationpic.twitter.com/LFZZ0IrnO8
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) January 31, 2025
Besides the loss to the Cavaliers, the Heat duo of Adebayo and Ware has been successful, giving the team a spark and size they haven’t seen in a long time since they played smaller. Even with the down performance, Adebayo sees major promise with the Indiana University product.
“Showing him the ropes, how it’s done,” Adebayo said. “The expectation that we have of him, the standard that we have, and the culture that he’s in and he’s buying into it and soaking up all the information he can. Obviously, it’s still a work in progress, but to me, he’ll excel well.”
Heat’s Erik Spoelstra on the growth of Kel’el Ware
Ever since the frontcourt duo got extended minutes on Jan. 19, Ware has recorded three double-doubles with two of those games having at least 20 points. As Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra expects better from a bigger frontline, he spoke about how Ware was challenged by Cleveland’s big men Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
“Yeah, nightly he’s getting challenged, and these are all opportunities to grow and learn,” Spoelstra said. “You know he has to do it on the fly, but he’s been a great student, he’s been coachable, not only by the staff but his teammates. He wants to get it right, he wants to make an impact, wants to help, and you’re facing different challenges. There’s great physicality we faced against Orlando, then all of a sudden, you’re playing a front line that is really experienced, and they have great chemistry, the two of them, and that was an experience for him. He’ll put all these things you know into his memory bank and continue to get to work like he did today, and get better.”
For Ware, while the game was a disappointment as he only scored five points with four rebounds, he told ClutchPoints that it’s important to have short-term memory.
“You gotta game the next day,” Ware said. “So, I mean, you just go play. That’s the thing about basketball. I mean, they always tell me, you got a game the next day. You go play and be better than what you did.”
At any rate, Miami is 23-23 which puts them seventh in the Eastern Conference as they face the Spurs.
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