Miami Heat rookie center Kel'el Ware continues to turn heads as he's now capturing the eye of the national media.
In what was considered a "weak" NBA Draft class, it's nearly impossible to predict which rookies will end up cementing themselves as the early difference-makers. However, after the NBA Summer League and through a handful of pre-season games, there are a few players who have consistently turned heads. One of those players, in somewhat surprising fashion, has been Miami Heat rookie center Kel'el Ware.
As the No. 15 overall pick, Ware has consistently looked the part of a player who could play dividends down the line for the Heat. In fact, the argument could be made that in the right role, Ware could make a difference for the team this season playing opposite Bam Adebayo in the frontcourt.
Ware has made enough waves across the league during this impressive Summer League stint and through his first two pre-season games that he's caught the eyes of the national media.
In the words of ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Ware "looks like Dereck Lively with a 3-point shot."
Considering how much of a difference and impact Dereck Lively made for the Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks during his rookie season, this is huge praise and a bold comparison for Ware.
What should the Miami Heat expect from Kel'el Ware?
Heading into the season, there's reason to believe that the Heat should follow the blueprint for how the Mavs handled Lively's rookie season. He was brought along slowly and actually came off the bench in the postseason. If I had to guess, I'd imagine we see something similar from the Heat.
I'm not sure if Ware is going to have the same impact that Lively had for the Mavs last season but the similarities are fair. And if Ware does have that level of impact right away for the Heat, he could completely alter the ceiling for the team. Considering how much the Heat may need a spark this season, Ware could end up being a blessing in disguise.
At the end of the day, at least for now, we must remember that Ware still hasn't played a regular-season minute in the NBA. It's probably best to slow down the hype train. However, if one thing is for sure, it's that Ware does carry plenty of potential and upside heading into this rookie season in Miami.