Analyst Chooses Miami Heat’s Kel’el Ware Over No. 2 Pick For All-Rookie First Team

Prior to his rookie season, the Miami Heat’s goal was to get Kel’el Ware NBA-ready and playable by his second year.

Now, Ware is in the top 10 for Rookie of the Year voting and a candidate to be the Heat’s latest player selected for All-Rookie First Team. He’s averaging 9.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks on 55.7 percent shooting. 

Ware has excelled alongside Bam Adebayo up front, allowing the three-time All-Star to return to his natural power forward position. Ware has thrived on the glass and in rolling to the basket for lob attempts and putback opportunities. He is tied with New Orleans Pelicans’ Yves Missi for the most double-doubles by a rookie with 14.

On The Zach Lowe Show, the basketball writer/podcaster discussed who he would have in his All-Rookie First Team and why Ware should earn a spot over Alex Sarr, selected No. 2 by the Washington Wizards.

“I feel really good with Kel’el Ware,” Lowe said. “He is No. 2 in player efficiency rating, nine points a game, and he’s shooting 63 percent on twos. Obviously, his efficiency edge over Sarr is cataclysmically large and due in large part to his role and his team. He is, however, outshooting Sarr on threes, which I think matters. I just feel like he’s been better, and he’s played in really
meaningful games.”

ESPN PERSONALITIES BLAST MIAMI HEAT’S TYLER HERRO AFTER LATEST QUESTIONABLE PLAY

Despite making huge strides in many categories, Tyler Herro’s decision-making in clutch scenarios has hurt the Miami Heat multiple times this year.

In the Heat’s loss to the Chicago Bulls, they had an opportunity to cut the game down to one possession thanks to a step-back three and steal from Herro. Instead of taking a layup while being ahead of everyone on a fastbreak, he pulled up for a transition three-point attempt and missed. The shot itself was ill-advised, but it was even worse because had he taken the layup, the Heat would have cut their deficit down to one possession with about 45 seconds left. 

Herro has struggled to convert on his perimeter shots in the clutch this year. Overall, he is shooting 31 percent in clutch situations. More than half of those attempts have been from three-point range, where he is shooting 19 percent.

On First Take, David Dennis Jr. and Brian Windhorst shared their dismay with Herro’s decision to risk an unnecessary three-point shot with the game on the line.

“But this is the Tyler Herro experience,” Dennis said. “This is what he does. He shoots these threes, and maybe they’re ill-timed, and sometimes they go in. He just made a corner three. But this is what he does. That was a great steal. Given another chance, he may shoot the layup, but this is what you get with Tyler Herro.”

“A for entertainment, but F for situational awareness,” Windhorst joked. “The Heat love Tyler Herro. This mentality is what helped turn him into an All-Star from a back-end lottery pick or wherever he was taken. That’s who he is, but Erik Spoelstra admitted after the game I gotta coach him better.”

MIAMI HEAT LEGEND ALONZO MOURNING HAS OTHERWORLDLY LABEL FOR LEBRON JAMES

A few athletes in sports history have had insane career longevity, but even fewer are impressive enough compared to LeBron James.

James dominated with the Miami Heat from 2010 to 2014, where he won his first championship, and solidified his tenure as the second-best player in franchise history behind Dwyane Wade. 

He is still a top 10 player in the league since leaving the Heat more than a decade ago. James is averaging 24.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.4 assists on 51 percent shooting and 37.4 percent from three-point range. It’s more rebounds, assists, and higher efficiency than his 2012-2013 MVP season. At 40, James surpassed Karl Malone as the oldest player to win a Player of the Month award.

On the OG’s podcast with Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller, Heat legend Alonzo Mourning praised James for still dominating at this point in his career. Mourning referred to James as an “alien.”

“First of all, it was an honor to have been in the front office and witness part of his legacy,” Mourning said. “Now, I got newfound respect. To be 40 years old and to do what he’s doing right now is unheard of. He’s shooting 52 percent right now, and he’s averaging 25 points. The constant jumping and pounding and all of the rigours of the sport. I don’t know how he’s able to do this at 40.”

Bryan Townes is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at btownesjr@gmail.com or on X @bryantownesjr11. Follow our coverage on Facebook