The greatest litmus test for young athletes isn’t the competition nor the tough environments they play in; it’s the expectations they face. Opponents and hostile arenas are tangible and there’s some sense of control athletes have in dealing with them or blocking them out. However, expectations are often ambiguous, to the point that they could be at the back of their minds, nagging at them with every passing minute. Moreover, expectations tend to keep getting raised and thus become too lofty. 

Some athletes are fortunate to be in situations where the expectations are low and thus, they are allowed to thrive. The case of Kel’el Ware is one example, as the Miami Heat are a world class organization with an ingrained culture that allows rookies to discover their capabilities while contributing to wins. 

Ware entered the Heat with expectations to contribute and develop in the hopes of becoming a starter in the long run. This would allow Bam Adebayo to ease into the forward slot and give Miami a devastating frontcourt for the years to come. But it seems like Ware has shattered those presumptions earlier than expected. 

The Heat are in the midst of a five-game winning streak and thanks to Ware, Miami has been able to navigate through this stretch and then some. Adebayo missed a handful of games earlier in November and the Heat came away relatively unscathed thanks to Ware, who continues to develop multiple facets of his game. 

Much of this was on display against the Dallas Mavericks, who were on the receiving end of Ware’s blocks, dunks, and rebounding. The 15th overall pick in last year’s NBA draft found his way around the Mavs defense and was clearly on a mission to hand Miami the victory by all means necessary. 

A year in the NBA has done wonders to Ware’s game, but it’s constant guidance of Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and Miami vice president for basketball development Udonis Haslem that has helped Ware take his game to the next level. Ware’s rookie campaign was solid in itself, but the Heat knew he could be even better in Year Two. Through time, he has gotten more comfortable within the offense and in being a lead defender in the paint. 

Big men like Ware allow Miami to control the game, something that has been critical to their success over the nearly two decades of the Spoelstra era. Ware is not a bruiser like Shaquille O’Neal nor is he at the level of Adebayo in terms of skill and finesse; the 21-year old is a healthy balance of the two. Ware can control the paint of O’Neal and with some prodding can even be a relentless rebounder like the four-time NBA champion. At the same time, Ware has the ability to extend his range similar to that of Adebayo and his skillset is fit for this era of basketball. 

At the end of the day, Kel’el Ware has the ability and the opportunity to be the next great big man for the Miami Heat. He’s in the perfect environment to do so and has a great set of mentors who can push him out of his comfort zone and into success. 

Nevermind the expectations set on him by others; the more Ware focuses on what lies ahead the more he and the Heat will succeed. And when he looks back, all he’ll find are the shattered expectations that won’t keep him tied down.