With the Miami Heat preparing for a matchup against the Charlotte Hornets Saturday night, two players that hope to get more involved with the team as the season progresses are rookie first and second round picks Kel'el Ware and Pelle Larsson respectively. As the Heat prepare for a loaded Eastern Conference, the two first-year players could be receive extended minutes as they continue to get praise from head coach Erik Spoelstra.
Heat's Erik Spoelstra on Kel'el Ware's development
Starting with Ware, he was selected with the 15th overall pick in the middle of the first round where Miami has had luck in drafting stars in that range like Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and last year in Jaime Jaquez Jr. out of UCLA. Ware though is a different player as he is seven-foot tall with elite athleticism as Spoelstra spoke about him getting bigger to match others physical intensity according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
“I know he’s gotten bigger,” Spoelstra said. “He’s put almost 10 pounds on since he’s been with us and he’s embraced how we do things. That was one of the encouraging things once we dove into his background — that he’s not afraid to work, particularly at [Indiana University].”
Ware impressed during the Heat's summer league using his size and athleticism to his advantage and had some moments in the preseason, but will have to earn more minutes in the regular season only getting six minutes in the opener. His focus as said to the media during the preseason is to force a reason to put him on the court.
“Just trying to do everything I can to get him to put me on the floor,” Ware said via The Miami Herald. “I’m trying to rebound the ball, block some shots … and show that I’m able to score the ball, too.”
Heat's Pelle Larsson is an “elite role player” per Erik Spoelstra
While the future is bright for Ware, the same goes for Larsson who was picked in the second round to go to the Heat and has already impressed. Larsson even scored the game-winning shot to win the Heat the Summer League title, but Spoelstra has praised him, even calling him an “elite role player.”
“He’s as advertised,” Spoelstra said. “I think that’s what is so interesting about the draft process for all the different teams. Each team has their own philosophy, each team values different things. He’s an elite role player. If you mention that to some organizations, they probably think that that’s horrible. I think it fits absolutely with our style of play, our culture, how we view players and how they impact winning.”
“You can see how he can be a plug and play with his maturity, his physicality, the fact that he does it on both ends and he knows how to fit in,” Spoelstra continued.
It doesn't stop with Ware and Larsson though as many have surprised Miami this season that have been impressing and forcing the coaching staff to take another look. Spoelstra would say ahead of Saturday's game against Charlotte that the young talent on the team has given them “exuberance.”
“What they have shown as a collective group as young guys, they’ve brought us some talent level that we’ve been able to restock our roster,” Spoelstra said. “They’ve given us an exuberance. But they’ve also found a way as a group to win, to impact winning, to find a way to gut out wins. I don’t know what it is, I just know it’s something. “I think probably what’s different about this group is it’s been a pack, a pack of wolves. That’s what’s different.”
Keshad Johnson embodies “Heat Culture”
One of those players is Keshad Johnson who has already encompassed “Heat Culture” as he was an undrafted rookie coming out of the University of Arizona, like Larsson as both were teammates. He earned one of Miami's three two-way player spots as he is a jack of all trades player as Spoelstra spoke about him getting more “comfortable.”
“I think the more comfortable he gets and a feel for what’s expected of him defensively and then what role he’s playing offensively, then I think that’s when you start to see more athleticism, more of the quick, more of the power,” Spoelstra said per Chiang. “He’s unique from that regard because he’s got a really strong explosive frame and then he can move his feet, as well. He knows how to fit in as a role player. I think the summer helped him and he’s working on all the aspects of his game while all this is going on. I’m encouraged by what I’m seeing so far.”
Josh Christopher looking to make a name for himself with Heat
Another one that has shined has been former first-round pick in 2021 by the Houston Rockets in Josh Christopher who has earned a two-way spot with the Heat. He also showed out in the Summer League title winning stint and displayed the scoring talents that made him a first-round pick in the first place.
“These are relationships where we want it to be symbiotic,” Spoelstra said about Christopher. “We want players that have big dreams to commit to us and our process, where it’s not necessarily for everybody. And we want to commit to them and make their dreams happen. We want to be dream makers, and he’s done everything he’s needed to do. And I think the big takeaway is he’s gotten a lot better.
“Does that guarantee anything moving forward? No. But you want to commit to your craft, commit to your journey as a professional player. He’s done that this summer. Now you stack more days, weeks, months and that growth can still happen from here. He’s young. But that has been fun to see him make those strides.”
At any rate, all of the young players on the Heat are looking to contribute in anyway possible as the team is 0-1 to start the season and looking to bounce back Saturday against the Hornets.
