The Miami Heat used their first pick in the 2024 NBA Draft to get help for center Bam Adebayo, selecting Indiana's Kel'el Ware with the 15th pick Wednesday night.
The 7-footer with a 7-5 wingspan has the length and game to have an immediate impact in the NBA.
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Ware quickly moved up NBA draft boards during team workouts and is a strong rim protector.
He's also excellent on lobs and shot 43% from 3 last season, making him the type of stretch big man NBA teams covet.
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Ware, who was selected to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team, started all 30 games for Indiana last season. He led the team in scoring average, rebounds per game, blocks per game, field goal percentage and double-doubles, averaging 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.87 blocks, 1.5 assists and 32.1 minutes while shooting 58.6 percent from the field, 42.5 percent from three-point range and 63.4 percent from the foul line.
He was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team by the media and to the All-Big Ten Third Team by the coaches.
Ware also will immediately benefit from playing alongside Heat captain Adebayo, who could get more minutes at power forward if Ware can take center minutes.
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It was reported earlier Wednesday that Adebayo intends to sign a three-year, $166 million extension with the Heat when the league’s offseason moratorium on such moves is lifted next month.
