Heat’s Erik Spoelstra walks back Kel’el Ware comments: ‘I didn’t articulate that in a great way”

MIAMI – After Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra gave a reality check to Kel’el Ware after the team’s 119-114 loss to the Boston Celtics on Thursday night, there was no doubt some people did a double-take hearing his comments. Heat legends Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem would even give their two cents on the situation, as Spoelstra would walk back his comments before Saturday’s contest against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Ware would only play eight minutes and 49 seconds in the first half, and was benched in the second half, with Spoelstra citing the matchup against Boston, which was apparent on the defensive end as the team targeted him on pick-and-rolls. Spoelstra would also say how Ware needs to be where he was eight or nine weeks ago, as he’s been stacking days “in the wrong direction.”

One bit that was interesting is when he implied Ware and young players “sometimes subconsciously play poorly to say, ‘Hey, I’ll play poorly until you play me the minutes I think I deserve. Then I’ll play well.’”

Spoelstra would clarify, saying, “I didn’t articulate that in a great way, and that wasn’t fair” to Ware.

“I’m fully invested and invigorated about the opportunity to develop Kel’el,” Spoelstra said. “We’re going to give him everything we have to make sure he becomes a player that he wants to become, that we need him to become…And we’ll have to figure some things out. That’s part of the development of young guys. They’re all not going to develop at the same time, at the same rate. It’s not all going to be linear. We have more young guys than we typically have had all at once, and at different times, they’ve all looked extremely promising, including Kel’el.”

Erik Spoelstra about his comments the other night regarding Kel’el Ware.

“I didn't articulate that in a great way and that wasn't fair to Kel'el…I'm fully invested and invigorated by the opportunity to develop Kel'el…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/Q4ofrL6nJi

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) January 17, 2026

Erik Spoelstra would speak on not playing Kel’el Ware a single minute in the second half, credits matchup and speaks on wanting him to be where he was 7, 8 weeks ago where he was stacking good days.

Says it’s going the other way. #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/xBtvUFVqRq

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) January 16, 2026

Heat’s Erik Spoelstra on how Kel’el Ware has improved 

If there’s one thing for certain, the Heat’s young center in Ware has improved from last season to the current times, but there’s no denying how up-and-down the journey has been. Looking at this season alone, there have been stretches where his extended minutes on or off the bench have led to an easy double-double, being commanding on either side of the floor, even showing his versatility from three-point range.

However, there have also been times when Ware has struggled on both sides of the ball, and as Spoelstra said after the Celtics’ loss, it was one instance of him not always progressing positively. Still, not every young player will develop one way, as Spoelstra mentioned, as he spoke more about the traits that he’s seen improve in Ware from his rookie season until now.

“And I look back at where he was last year at this time, and where he is now, I think he’s markedly improved, not only his approach, but his work ethic, professionalism, and his game,” Spoelstra said. “You know, I do have to figure out some things, and that might not happen immediately. There’s some rotations that we just, they have to produce a little bit better. And some of you know the impact, and on court, on and off, you know, has to be a little bit better.”

This season, Ware has averaged 11.7 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 54.3 percent from the field and 41.9 percent from three-point range.

Ware will look to continue showing Spoelstra his talent, as Miami will also coach him hard to become a foundational player for the franchise. The Heat are 21-20 entering Saturday’s game against the Thunder, as the team embarks on a five-game road trip.

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