Ware Selected to NBA Rising Stars

MIAMI, FL – The NBA announced today that HEAT center Kel’el Ware has been selected to participate in the 2026 NBA Rising Stars event. It marks the third consecutive season Miami will have a player represented in the Rising Stars event as Ware becomes the 13^th HEAT player to be selected, joining Jaime Jaquez Jr. (2025 & 2024), Alondes Williams (2024), Tyler Herro (2021 & 2020), Precious Achiuwa (2021), Kendrick Nunn (2020), Norris Cole (2012), Michael Beasley (2009 & 2010), Dwyane Wade (2004 & 2005), Udonis Haslem (2004 & 2005), Caron Butler (2003), Kurt Thomas (1996) and Khalid Reeves (1995). The Rising Stars event, which will air live at 9PM on NBC, will be played at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California on Friday, February 13.

Ware, who was selected by the HEAT in the first round (15th overall) in the 2024 NBA Draft, has appeared in 43 games (27 starts) this season averaging 11.6 points, a team-high 9.8 rebounds, a team-best 1.12 blocks and 23.8 minutes while shooting a team-high 54 percent from the field, 41.5 percent from three-point range and 81.5 percent from the foul line. He has scored in double-figures 24 times, including seven 20-point games, and grabbed double-figure rebounds on 19 occasions while posting 14 double-doubles. Ware scored a career-high 28 points, grabbed a game-high 19 rebounds and connected on a team-high five three-point field goals on December 21 at New York, becoming the first player in HEAT franchise history to record each of those totals in a game and just the eighth player in NBA history to do so. Ware (9.8) and Bam Adebayo (9.7) have currently combined to average 19.5 rebounds this season, tying for the third-most in a single season in team history (Shaquille O’Neal & Udonis Haslem in 2004-05). Earlier this season, Ware grabbed multiple offensive rebounds in a career-long 18-straight games from November 29 through January 6, blocked a shot in a career-long 11 consecutive games from November 24 through December 19 and registered a career-best 20 rebounds vs. Cleveland on November 10. Additionally, Ware has connected on 51 three-point field goals this season, the second-most by a seven-footer in HEAT history, and just three short from tying the franchise record of 53.

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Ricardo Urrusuno

He’s a diehard 305 native who roots for his hometown teams in the good, the bad, and the ugly. Recently, he graduated from FIU with an MBA, but now he’s a Lemonhead covering UM basketball. Known to be anywhere and everywhere, you may catch him at a Miami sporting event.

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