Former IU basketball center Kel’el Ware continues his recent midseason surge as he eared Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honors for his play in January.
Ware averaged 13.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and shot 56.5 percent from the floor and 44.7 percent from three across 16 games. He led all rookies in points, rebounds, three point percentage and tied for the most double-doubles.
He also had five starts and averaged 14.6 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks with three double-doubles. The former IU basketball standout led the Heat in scoring on four occasions, rebounding five times and blocks 12 times.
The 7-footer had four 20+ point games, including his career-high twice of 25 points.
“There was just a consistent improvement each week it seemed like, every month,” Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said two weeks ago. “Then it got to the point where we needed to find more minutes for him, and we weren’t finding enough minutes just having him backup Bam [Adebyao]. This is what we talk about all the time – make us watch you, make us have to play you, make us have to play you more.”
In the midst of his January play, Ware became the first player in 40 years to post at least 20 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks in their first career start since David Robinson on November 4, 1989
Ware is now averaging 8.4 points and 5.0 rebounds across 32 games this year, and is 24-of-59 (40.7 percent) from three.
“If I was a Miami Heat fan, I’d be super stoked about this dude, who is as athletic, coordinated, balanced, of a big as you will find in the league, just in terms of run and jump talent,” Sam Vecenie, an NBA Senior Writer for The Athletic, said on a recent podcast. “I would bet on Kel’el Ware being quite good for the Miami Heat. I feel quite good about this entire situation.”
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