Inside the HEAT | Episode 11 – Kel’el Ware

Inside the HEAT | Episode 11 – Kel’el Ware

My name is Kel Wear. My mom, she gave me the name and she named me after Superman. Work by wear. That was the kryptonite from Kell. Our superhero, our superman, Kel Wear. I’m more of a chill guy, laidback. What’s up? Hello there. What’s up with you, son? Nothing much. I’m I’m excited right now. I’m a lot of emotions going through me right now. I was always in the gym every day putting in the work in the weight room, get stronger. I knew my time would come eventually. Wear leaving them breathless here in Miami. I can’t wait to see how I look in a couple years. The sky is the limit. [Music] If you could point to one area that you want to really focus on in the gym this summer, one specific skill, what comes to your mind? I’m going still say, you know, getting stronger. It was getting stronger, you know, before the season started. It’s still getting stronger, you know, until until I get to that point. Then it’s going to continue to be getting stronger. With the 15th pick in the 2024 NBA draft, the Miami Heat select, Khalil Wear from Indiana University. You know, draft night, it was, you know, just a wave of emotions, you know, uh started all the way playing in third grade, you know, all of the memories, all of the just thinking about like all the games that I played, all the games that I went through, you know, a couple tears came down from me and my mom’s face. So, you know, she was the main person that was in my corner, you know, all of those years, you know, me playing basketball, me, you know, just going through the whole process. She was the one taking me everywhere, you know, and just spending the most time and putting all of the effort into me so I could be, you know, where I am now. So, I feel like it was more of a of the, you know, the same feeling for both of us. It It was happy tears though, I would say. You know, just that, you know, the the grind paid off, man. I’m Bro, I’m so happy, bro. Bro, I know. Oh my god. That’s not I can remember, but damn, man. Hey heat nation, my name is Khloe. I’ll be in Miami soon. Can’t wait to, you know, be in the environment, be outside, be on the court, and be around you guys. So, go Heat. What was last year reminding you actually up on the stage, put on the hat. I got to cherish it. I I had to cherish it. So, that’s that’s why I sit there and looked at the hat for a little bit. I was like, I you know, just got to look at it, embrace it, enjoy it, cuz now I’m going to I’m going to be back to work. You know, you got to start over. You know, square root zero. You mentioned earlier that you haven’t uh had an NBA jersey. Is that right? Yeah. Okay. Well, we’ve got a heat one here for you. Doesn’t have a number. I was sitting. The only thing is missing is the Yeah. Yeah. Okay. And I know there’s a lot of pressure. I don’t expect you to pick them out. But where’d you come? Look that over and start thinking about Wait, which ones is the the ones that have names or red are not available. Number one is retired. Okay. Wait. So I I could do I could do seven. Is it blank? Yep. Oh yeah, that’s a 10. I’mma do seven. Seven. Yeah. Is that your final answer? Yeah. I I used to I used to wear seven when I growing up play basketball. Okay. Yeah. I think it is. Knowing how Miami is perceived their player development program, the work they put guys through, what is your feelings about going there and how do you think you will mesh with that? I mean they all of them is hard workers. They push their players, you know, past their limits and feel like that’s the right that’s the best place for me. What’s up? What’s up? Hello there. What’s up with you, son? Nothing much. I’m I’m excited right now. I’m a lot of emotions going through me right now. Well, we were we were excited, you know, when you came in for the workout and what you did that day, you know, from that day on. We we’ve been zeroing in on on you. Uh it really is uh a talent positional move. We think you can play with Bam. That’s important. You know, play the both of you together. And uh you know, you just have so many great qualities, I think, for us. And I like that one word that you said, I’m going to work my ass off when I get there tomorrow or the next day. Well, we’re we’re going to make you do that. Okay. Oh, you know, trust me, I’m I’m willing to give everything I got and more. So, you don’t got to worry about that. You got it, man. Okay. Hey, you have a good night. Oh, you too. Okay, Cleo. All right. Byebye. Bye. Okay. Oh, you spoke to Pat Ride. 8 a.m. tomorrow. Yeah. Pretty exciting. how I felt once I got off that plane. Uh, you know, after draft night, it was, uh, I mean, I’m here now. So, you know, this is this is where the work, you know, finally start. I’m feeling great. You know, especially to be down here. Uh, I’m from Arkansas, so I’m kind of used to the heat already, but, you know, I’m I’m ready to get to work. Yes, sir. Welcome to Miami Heat. Appreciate. Yeah. Dang, you’re even bigger now than you see my suite. Come on. How are you, sir? Doing good. Nice to see you. Congrats. Welcome. We heard that you’ve never owned an NBA jersey. Oh, yeah. Before. So, it’s your first one. You do now. Oh, this is hard. Mhm. Other than my first NBA jersey, I would say was definitely greater than I guess hearing my name being called. I mean, it’s, you know, my my last name was sticks on the back. So, you know, that that’s how you know it’s official. No, it’s definitely a dream come true. Yeah. journey of a thousand miles starts with your first step and we want to welcome Khalil to this first step with the Miami Heat. They’re not going to have a rookie sitting around just because if you’re ready, they’re going to put you out there. How nice is that to know? I mean, that’s lovely to know. All you got to do is just put in the work and like Jame did I’ll be in the right position that I need to be in. [Music] As soon as I got here, they, you know, they want to start working and so, you know, I I was down with that. So, you know, I was ready to come, you know, put in that work. Summer League was fun. Uh, not even just cuz, you know, basketball wise, just cuz of the guys I was with. I feel like I I built a connection with those guys [Music] through those summer league games, you know, being with them especially well, you know, especially after losing that losing the first game to uh San Francisco. The Dubs get it done 105-6 over Miami. So, I feel like that that kind of, you know, built a bond in itself on the court. Our chemistry has definitely gotten way stronger, you know, and our, you know, our connection with each other comes with, you know, just hanging out with each other and always talking to each other to, you know, get better and so we not, you know, making many mistakes on the court. And I would say that’s definitely, you know, helped us a lot and we we definitely, you know, jailed together. You got to let it go. Drops it home. Easy money for aware. The patience there though. What were you working on as far as your game when you were at summer league? I mean, just trying to, you know, mainly, you know, get stronger. Uh, you know, I know what I’m able to do on the court. So, it’s, you know, just staying consistent. You know, trying to, you know, rebound the ball, you know, just get the feel of the game back. You know, get the try to get the gist of how, you know, the NBA flow is. Wear for three. It’s good. And that’s one of the things that makes KL We special. If he can step out and knock it down from three alongside Bam, he could be a problem. I would say it was uh it was more ups than it was downs. Well, for for us, for us at least, I feel like we had our down uh moment quick. But then that’s cuz, you know, we were a new team. We uh we just had to jail with each other. We just had to get used to it. And then once we once we got used to it and figured out like, you know, each other played, it was it was just fun from there. And it’s We winning that battle. And where caught a body all seven foot five a sharp my highlight of summer league was when when when pa hit the game winner. I would say that I mean cuz that’s when you know we won the championship after that. Guarded by Pippen. Shot clock at 12. Wear with the screen. Larson keeps the bounce. Running shot is good and Miami wins it. Larson gets it done for the Heat. I was like, I mean, we got to it all comes down to the final point cuz you know that that’s the point that it was in the game and you know, Pella hit it and it’s a photo out there somewhere where it’s me and P just yelling. That was a crazy moment. I was happy for him, too. I was happy for the whole team. 2024 champion. Everybody do a number one. There you go. That’s easy. Anytime I hear about team culture, that’s all I hear about it. You know, his championships and trying to bring that back. So, being able to start my career off with a with a championship is definitely, I guess, you know, something I got, you know, tip my hat to. [Music] Training camp was definitely, you know, more of a test. Um I would say just cuz you know how it is you know the two days getting there grinding you know trying to figure it out as a team and you know just you know just pick it up all in general. So, I feel like that was uh it it was something that I was looking forward to and uh you know, it kind of was, you know, what I was expecting at training camp I work with, you know, Malik Bam, you dig? Um, you know, Kevin Love, you know, just anybody who, you know, was in that category of that could help me out offensive, defensively, just in, you know, in the post position, in the big position that was able to, you know, help me learn the game more. In training camp, it’s a lot. It’s a lot going on. It’s a lot of moving parts. So, you know, I just try to tell them, you know, just figure it out as you go. Understand that you you got to be ready at any moment, any possession. You don’t have to get ready if you stay ready. And uh that was really the the first message. I think it’s just tremendous for Khalil at 20 years old to have a a mentor like UD, but also Bam. UD mentored the next mentor and now they’re both able to use their superpowers to help him. And that’s why we think we have the infrastructure uh to be able to help a young big like him uh succeed. They always just taught me to, you know, all you got to do is go out there and just play your hard. You play your hardest and just play, you know, through the floor of the game, then it’s going to find you. Like you don’t have to you don’t have to try to force anything. It’s what you did was big on the rebound. So that’s what him him love. If I say I I could say that part for the rebounding, but then BAM wise, it’s just, you know, he always say, you know, just play to your height. Play your 7 foot. So, you know, just, you know, use that to your advantage. [Applause] Once training campaigned, that’s the that’s more of the the rugged days, I guess you could say. But, um, and then after that, that’s when, you know, the real hoop start. It’s time to, you know, actually, you know, get in and, you know, get down. Once the season first started, the first couple months were I would say they were definitely challenging, not playing. But I I was always in the gym though. I was always in the gym with Malik. I was always in the weight room with you, getting stronger, you know, staying to it. That was like every day. Like no matter we had a game, didn’t have a game, I mean, I was I was in the gym, you know, getting better, trying to, you know, work on my game, work on my craft. There you go. There you go. Hey, there you go. Stay down. Stay down. Good work. Good work. Did it done? The hardest part I would say was the physicalness that your body goes through putting in the work every day like that and you know being in the weight room every day like that. But it it all pays off and your body you know molds into you know something better and something stronger. You know, it’s trying to get him up to the rigors and training every day and keeping your mind into it and the mental part where you have to be prepared when your numbers call. I was working, you know, putting the ball on the floor a little bit more, you know, like attacking off the dribble, you know, working on my shot, working on defending, uh, being able, you know, move my feet, uh, being able to, you know, eventually get to the switching one through five. Like, it was never just like a specific thing that we worked on. We literally worked on everything. He’s a great kid. He really wants to be good. He brings the right approach every day. I mean, he’s he’s super coachable and you can get on him, you know, when he needs to get on. He wants that. Keep going, man. Keep going. It’s a good good job keeping the game moving. You know what I mean? Yeah. When my time finally came, it helped me be more ready when it did come. In December, I went to Sou Falls for two games. The G- League debut for Kel Wear. And now the finish. Four on three. Kloair. Yes sir. It definitely helped me out more more than what I thought it would just because I got to be around some of the summer league guys. It’s just been able to go down there and work on my game. Uh you know cuz I wasn’t playing going down there. I got to work on my game, you know, gain my confidence back a little bit. It helped me, you know, kickstart things more. Couple of spins for Kel Wear and a soft touch. Young for three. Oh, it’s blocked by Wear. you you just have to accept, you know, the role that you’re in. Um, and just like just putting in the work. I mean, because I I knew my time would come eventually. So, it was like I’m, you know, you know, keep my head down, work, and then once my time come, then, you know, I just hit the ground running that way. The moment when I was going to get my first start in the NBA, um, in my head, I was like, “Okay, you know, I’m I’m ready for this.” So, It comes game time if I see my, you know, my face up there like in the start lineup. Damn, they got me up there. Yeah. Start the show. I’m like, “Okay, this is real. This is where, you know, I put in all this work for. All I got to do is just keep up what I’m doing and I can stay here.” Do you remember that game at all? That was a Trailblazers game, right? It was Trailblazers game. You had 20 and 15. Dang out. Okay. Well, yeah. I guess I play good where he’ll step up, swoop it up, miss it, get it back and throw it down. Kelloo, the more you see, the more we like win. Gets it. Pick and roll and slam. Oh, did he fly through the sky? Wow. I’ve been playing the game of basketball for a long time. Well, I can’t really say a long time. She been playing way longer than me, but uh I’ve been playing since third grade. So, you know, with me is just, you know, going out there doing what I do and you know, the baller eventually finds you and you just want to you got to have the will to win. I waited my whole life for for to be able to start the NBA game. I felt great. I felt like I went out there, I made an impact. I feel like I did what I needed to do and it’s still always, you know, more work to be done. It still is now. He listens. cuz he soaks everything up. Every time he comes out the game, he learns something. He’s only going to get better. I’m just really excited to see him grow. I feel like now I’m able to play more through the floor of the game. Uh play more of like the right way, too. Finding my teammates, getting my teammates open, and you know, just learning more about the guys that I’m on the court with. Uh and, you know, just learning like how they like to come off the screen or, you know, what what shots they like taking and just, you know, just where to put the ball at. So now we it’s more chemistry to it. screen right from where he’ll use it. Drive, throw off the logs. Yeah, you got to beware. Somebody’s coming alive in front of our eyes, people. After a very impressive January on Tuesday, he big man Khalil Wear was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month. Winning rookie of the month, it meant a little something uh just because I did go from, you know, not playing to, you know, finally being able to, you know, showcase what I can do and, you know, that I can help the team. It helped me to, you know, want to keep going and, you know, want to, you know, get better and just be a better version of myself on the court. We wear clovering in another dunk. He’s fun to watch. Kel, since we spoke to you on draft night, Bam was in here yesterday and he mentioned how he’s looking very forward to having you at his side. Does that encourage you? Does that put pressure on you? No, that definitely it doesn’t put a lot of pressure on me. I would say it encourages me. Bam. Went to the floor to get it where crushed it. Oh, there they are again. That big man duo for Miami. Playing alongside Bam has been uh has been great. I would say uh you know, just having him been able to be helpside uh anytime, you know, I’m guarding the big or you know, that allows him to, like I said, you know, free run. 30 seconds to go. Hallebertton on the drive, kicks it out. Bam, rips it away. Or he could be guarding the big and I could be, you know, somewhere free roaming if I’m able to help. Um, and he’s he also helps me uh like if I’m if I’m boxing out the big, I don’t have to worry about, you know, another guard trying to get the rebound cuz I know Bam will be down there grab the rebound. He can be a weapon. He can definitely throw off other teams. And to have bigs that can pass like that to one another, find one another, you know, that’s a that’s a luxury in this league. The lob to wear for the dunk. When do you know the lob is is coming? whenever the ball is in there. If that ain’t a rookie answer, I don’t know what is. You know, anytime, you know, I either make like a mistake or, you know, like a little, you know, petty foul, then, you know, he would always tell me about the, you know, you’re 7 foot, you know, use it to your advantage. He has no ceiling. He’s a young big with athleticism. Obviously, he can block shots. He can run the floor. He can create his own shot. You know, sometimes he makes something out of nothing. Here comes where. Unbelievable. That was a sevenfooters, ladies and gentlemen. Wow. And a rookie at that. The more you play, uh, the more comfortable you’ll get out there on the court. And I feel like I’m I’m getting to that stage now, um, of just being more comfortable out there, knowing where to be, knowing where, uh, how things need to go, you know, certain times on the clock, you know, just learning, uh, you know, no, time and space. Once you go from learning player development now it’s it’s applying you know what you’re what you’re doing each and every day you know and trying to build the habits you know in game now um which is what you want as a young guy um you want to be on the floor where in the contest catches the lob throws it down from Wiggins being the big fell as soon as he gets on the wood you can trust him you know to um compete and to try to do the right things he’s a glass eater he finds his way you know around the basket too for you know these really important relief points, you know, for us. A lot for Kell. He gets it back. Hammered it down on Saw. Well, that had to feel good. Anderson driving on Lowry. Hammered it down. What do you think is the common theme of turning the corner right now for the senior? I mean, you know, just staying gel together, you know, just staying with each other, just staying locked in, you know, as a group and just, you know, wanting to come out here and get the win and compete. Heading into my first postseason, I’m really looking forward to just how, you know, how I guess grimy it’s going to get. I’m looking for the competition to be there and just be able to, you know, get out the mud. We have an opportunity, but it’s going to be competitive and that’s what I’m looking forward to see. when somebody’s going to go home if they don’t win this game, you are officially in the postseason. With everybody, you know, trying to fight for that, you know, that that title and, you know, just want to win, you’re going to have to bring it every game. The log to wear went up there, missed it with the left hand, tapped it back with the right. Andrew Wiggins up top where getting the rookie involved. It’s always something, you know, just look back on and, you know, figure out what I got to do better at it, you know, get better at and, you know, just improve on that in the offseason. Wiggins a little bully ball follow jam. Kell wear with a throw down. Looking back on my rookie season, um I’m I’m going say it sums up as a a lot of ups and downs, I would say. But I’m definitely proud of how, you know, I came out of it. You know, like I said, from the not playing at the beginning to, you know, always still putting the work, showing up, you know, not letting that get to me, you know, just showing up and, you know, wanting to get better, wanting to, you know, compete and want to, you know, show, you know, what I can do. I feel like I know what I can become and as long as, you know, I stick to it, keep my head down and just continue to work, get stronger, and I just want I just want to be able to, you know, just show what I can do. When my career is over, I would say I would want people to to say that he was a he was a monster out there. [Applause]

“A journey of a thousand miles starts with your first step…”

Kel’el’ Ware took his first step as a member of the Miami HEAT on the night of the 2024 NBA Draft – and he picked up the pace very quickly in the weeks and months that followed.

From Summer League Champion to growing into his role in a rotation alongside NBA All-Stars, winning a Rookie of the Month award and being named to an All-Rookie Team along the way, Ware’s first season in the NBA will be one to remember.

#NBA #Basketball #NBABasketball #MiamiHEAT #HEATCulture #HEATNation