How Heat’s Bam Adebayo helps Kel’el Ware handle Erik Spoelstra’s coaching

MIAMI – While the Miami Heat were hurt by a ton of factors this year, as the team missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2018-19 season, the positive takeaway was the development of key young players. As Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. is in line to contend for Sixth Man of the Year honors, center Kel’el Ware was another who saw improvement, helped by Bam Adebayo and Erik Spoelstra.

The relationship between Ware and Spoelstra has been a hot topic for fans for two seasons now, as the coach hasn’t been shy in pushing the 22-year-old hard and publicly challenging him. There’s no denying that Spoelstra and Miami see the 2024 first-round pick as a foundational piece for the team moving forward, which was the same with Adebayo when he was drafted back in 2018.

The Adebayo-Ware pairing is a popular one among fans, having played with each other in 49 games this season, even recording some starts to cap off the season. Ware expressed to ClutchPoints how Adebayo’s mentorship has been, especially when handling Spoelstra’s coaching.

“Bam is a great mentor, he’s been through everything I’ve been through, been through in the arena with Spo, dealing with Spo, just talking to me through that, it’s also with Spo as well. Just me and Spo, getting a better relationship with that and talking, which, you know, it was like that during the year. So just getting more of an understanding of each other,” Ware said after Thursday’s exit interviews.

Asked Kel’el Ware about the relationship with Bam Adebayo:

“Bam’s a great mentor, he's been through everything I've been through…dealing with Spo, just talking to me through that…Also Spo as well. Just getting a better relationship….” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/DutSX8FA9U

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) April 16, 2026

Bam Adebayo on Kel’el Ware’s Heat outlook

There could be some who believe Spoelstra has been unfairly coaching Ware, criticizing the old-fashioned approach to coaching, but that has been the standard with the Heat. As mentioned, Adebayo went through the same when he was a young player, as Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem pushed the captain on many occasions, leading to the big man now being a flag bearer for the franchise.

“Feel like he can be great. I feel like Kel’el is a lot more comfortable when I’m out there, just because somebody’s actively always talking to him,” Adebayo said to ClutchPoints. “And that might be aggravating, but that was D-Wade, when I was a rookie, when I was a second year player, used to piss me off all the time, because he used to always talk to me.”

“Him and UD [Haslem], one was in the game aggravating me, and I would come to the bench, UD getting on my nerves,” Adebayo continued. “But you need that if you want to tap into your ceiling. If you want to get to places you don’t think you can get, you need those conversations. You need those build-ups. You need those honest conversations where people are gonna tell you that you’re wrong. And it’s helped me, so my job is to help him.”

Asked Bam Adebayo about Kel’el Ware’s growth.

“he can be great. I feel like Kel’el is a lot more comfortable when I’m out there, just as somebody is actively always talking to him.“

Spoke how D-Wade and UD aggravated him, but it helped him. Looking to do same with Ware. #Heat pic.twitter.com/jUCda1FWcX

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) April 16, 2026

Heat’s Erik Spoelstra speaks of nonlinear improvement for Kel’el Ware

While Ware’s improvement in his second NBA season has been noticeable, it hasn’t been “linear,” as Spoelstra pointed out, as there was a stretch during the first half of the season where playing time was limited.

“There was significant improvement with Kel’el, as you saw his ability to compete in a meaningful game and produce in the moments of truth, that’s a big improvement from where we were last year when the season ended, doing this press conference. And his improvement certainly was not linear. There was a lot of ups and downs this year, but I appreciate his intention and every day trying to work at it and get better, and he still has a big offseason ahead to make that next jump hopefully,” Spoelstra said.

Erik Spoelstra expressed how the young core improved.

Said there was “significant improvement” with Kel’el Ware. Said improvement wasn’t linear, but always had the intention.

Also spoke of Kasparas Jakucionis and how he surprised them, spoke of the comp with Goran Dragic. pic.twitter.com/nEnU0nMS0e

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) April 16, 2026

This season, Ware has averaged 11.1 points, nine rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 53 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from beyond the arc. Ware’s three-point shooting is one that was put on display this year, an area of his game that, aside from his seven-foot frame and athleticism, could make him a dangerous player in the future.

Heat’s Erik Spoelstra is more comfortable with a two-big lineup

One main criticism of Spoelstra has been not committing to the Adebayo-Ware lineup, one that recorded a +1.7 on the floor when both played together. However, one can’t argue that there were rough patches in the middle of the season when Adebayo and Ware shared the court, but they ended on a good note, with Spoelstra even saying he feels more comfortable with that frontcourt lineup.

“I do, they were able to do it in more impactful games down the stretch, about six weeks of the season,” Spoelstra said. “And you credit them for putting the time and the intention to make it work, but also just more minutes doing it in pressure games. Certainly, both of them took a jump from where where it was a year ago or even at the beginning of the season. Also, their skill sets improved, the versatility improved, Kel’el’s shooting really helps. And Bam’s shooting for sure, and his ability now in the offense to be able to make plays off the catch.”

“And then the understanding, if we play two bigs, it has to be dominant defensively and on the glass in particular,” Spoelstra continued. “But you need that kind of versatility in this league now. You need to be able to play big. You also need to be able to play small. Teams are doing a little bit of everything, and the more boxes you can check and still be efficient, I think it’s important, as you’re playing against the better teams.”

Erik Spoelstra shares how more comfortable he is with playing the Bam Adebayo-Kel’el Ware duo: #Heat

They were able to do it in more impactful games down the stretch. And you credit them for putting the time…Certainly, both of them took a jump from where it was a year ago.” pic.twitter.com/20JFT6v7g3

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) April 16, 2026

At any rate, it remains to be seen what happens next season with Adebayo and Ware, as the latter has been a popular player to include in trade scenarios, especially with the team linked to Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo.

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