Norman Powell Wants To Bring The Best Out Of This Miami Heat Youngster

Norman Powell has played with many all-time greats throughout his NBA career. In his 11th season, he is more than happy to channel his rich experience in the league as he mentors younger athletes.

One up-and-comer that Powell has been guiding is his Miami Heat teammate Kel’el Ware. In a recent media availability, Powell recalled putting Ware on notice as soon as he arrived in South Beach this offseason.

“I told him when I first got here, I’mma be on him all year,” Powell told reporters. “I’m trying to unlock the greatness in him…everybody has great belief in him.”

Ware, who was selected 15th overall by the Heat in the 2024 NBA Draft, has a number of attributes that point to a bright future in the league. For one, the former Indiana Hoosier stands seven feet tall and boasts a 7-foot-4.5 wingspan. As a rookie, Ware showcased a diverse skill set that included hook shots and an outside jumper.

Over the summer, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra challenged Ware to step up in terms of “professionalism.” Ware responded by getting in the weight room and putting on extra muscle. Though this was a prompt response to the callout from Spoelstra, it appears that Powell won’t be relenting in terms of driving the 21-year-old’s growth.

“I’mma stay in his ear,” Powell said. “He gets down if he doesn’t make the right play or whatever. Mistakes happen. I’mma stay on him.”

So far, the collective efforts of Powell, Spoelstra, and the rest of the Heat’s support system appear to be making a positive impact. Ware has bumped his nightly production to 10.1 points per game (up from 9.3 ppg last season), thanks to an increased confidence to take more outside shots and improving his three-point efficiency to 41.7%.

The 7-foot center, however, will have to be more consistent on the other end of the floor. Advanced stats show that his defensive win shares have dipped from 2.5 last season to 0.3 this year, meaning that Ware needs to make his presence more strongly felt in his role as rim protector.

Miami is looking for Ware to take a tremendous leap in Year 2, and if he does, he’ll be the latest in a long line of Heat centers who became a true force to be reckoned with.