Kel’el Ware is off to a good start with the Miami Heat in NBA Summer League action.
After scoring 12 points in his debut on Saturday, Ware led the Heat on Sunday with 26 points and 11 rebounds in a 102-86 win over the Sacramento Kings at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif.
The 7-foot center made 12-of-21 attempts from the field but went 2-for-5 from the free throw line and missed both 3-point attempts. He also added three assists and a block in over 29 minutes.
The @MiamiHEAT‘s No. 15 pick Kel’el Ware (26 PTS, 11 REB) got buckets and cleaned the glass in the win over the Kings 🔥 pic.twitter.com/3LMDjxwiwl
“This game I really wanted to show my offensive side more,” Ware said postgame. “I feel like the more I get comfortable, it’s going to be way better than it was today.”
Miami’s next summer league game is scheduled for Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET against the Los Angeles Lakers on ESPN2 and ESPN-plus.
Miami drafted Ware with the 15th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft out of Indiana, where he played one season under coach Mike Woodson. As a Hoosier, Ware averaged 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game.
“Kel’el is a three-and-D center,” said Adam Simon, the Miami Heat Vice President of Basketball Operations and Assistant General Manager. “It is not easy to find 7-footers that can play out on the perimeter offensively and also be able to defend with his ability to shot-block and defend the post. For us, that was very appealing. He’s gonna give us versatility on both ends and his skill set fits us. The things he does well are things that coach (Spoelstra) is going to be able to use. I think it’s a great fit — be able to block shots, defend the rim, shoot threes, he’s got a great touch in the post. I think his skill set will be great to play with Bam and as well as when Bam’s off the court.”
Now Ware joins a roster headlined by All-NBA guard Jimmy Butler and All-Star center Bam Adebayo. The Heat went 46-36, finished eighth in the Eastern Conference and lost to the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. Ware will wear No. 7 for the Heat.
Advertisement
Ware inked a four-year deal worth $22,512,733 million, with $9,542,760 guaranteed at signing, according to Spotrac. He is set to make $4,655,040 during his rookie season and $4,887,720 during his second season, both guaranteed.
Entering Ware’s third season in 2026-27, Miami has a club option worth $5,120,400. The Heat have another club option before Ware’s fourth season 2027-28, which is worth $7,849,573. The club option deadline is Oct. 31 both years. If Ware stays with the Heat for four seasons, he will become a restricted free agent ahead of the 2028-29 season.
Radio: 104.3 FM (Miami/Ft. Lauderdale), ESPN 106.3 FM, (West Palm Beach), FOX Sports Radio 105.9 FM (Ft. Myers/Naples), 1450 AM (Suart), 97.7 FM (Florida Keys), WAQI 710 AM (Spanish-language broadcast, South Florida), WFAN 101.9 FM/660 AM (Brooklyn)
Advertisement
VITALS: The Miami Heat (32-29) and Brooklyn Nets (15-45) meet for the second of three regular season matchups. Earlier this season, Miami recorded a, 106-95, win in Brooklyn on December 18 and has now won four of the last five overall against the Nets.
Advertisement
It also marks the first of consecutive games against Brooklyn with the teams facing each other again on Thursday. The Heat are 83-61 all-time versus the Nets during the regular season, including 44-26 in home games and 39-35 in road games.
PROJECTED STARTERS
HEAT
Advertisement
G Davion Mitchell
G Tyler Herro
C Bam Adebayo
F Pelle Larsson
Advertisement
F Andrew Wiggins
NETS
G Nolan Traore
G Terance Mann
Advertisement
C Nic Claxton
Advertisement
F Michael Porter Jr.
F Noah Clowney
Advertisement
INJURY REPORT
HEAT
Davion Mitchell: Questionable – Shoulder
Norman Powell: Out – Groin
Nikola Jovic: Out – Back
Advertisement
Trevor Keels: Available – G League
Advertisement
Jahmir Young: Available – G League
Vlad Goldin: Available – G League
Terry Rozier: Out – Not with team
NETS
Advertisement
Nic Claxton: Probable – Thumb
Egor Demin: Out – Foot
Advertisement
QUOTABLE
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra: “Regardless of the scheme is, I always go back to that, it’s just about committing to doing hard things. We were really moving in the zone, taking away airspace and scrambling to challenge shots at the rim. In a lot of these losses in the last month we’ve just been giving up shots at the rim and threes.”
Advertisement
For more Miami Heat information and conversation, check out Off The Floor.
Alexander Toledo is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI and producer/co-host of the Five on the Floor podcast, covering the Heat and NBA. He can be reached at Twitter: @tropicalblanket
ORLANDO, Fla. — Lionel Messi scored twice in a four-goal second half, defender Telasco Segovia added a goal and two assists and defending champion Inter Miami CF rallied to beat Orlando City SC 4-2 on Sunday night, winning for the first time at Inter&Co Stadium.
Messi took a pass from Segovia and scored in the 57th minute to tie it 2-2, and Segovia scored unassisted in the 85th for the lead. Messi put the finishing touch on the victory when he scored off a free kick in the 90th.
“The victory belongs exclusively to the players,” Miami coach Javier Mascherano said after the game. “In the second half, they were a championship team. There were no tactics, nothing like that. There was heart, courage, possession, resilience, commitment. I think the team came out because they were champions last year.
“In the end, the players showed it. This victory is theirs.”
Advertisement
Messi’s first two goals of the season give him 52 in his first 55 regular-season MLS matches — 51 of them in his past 49 appearances. It also brought the reigning MLS MVP to 898 career goals scored, including 672 for Barcelona and 115 for Argentina.
“He’s the best player to ever play this sport. He’s a leader, and as a leader, he inspires others, but he also often needs to be inspired himself,” Mascherano said of Messi. “When he was driving forward, he had more attacking options, and with so many opportunities, he clearly has the ability to create chances like no one else, and that’s what allowed us to turn the game around.”
Marco Pašalić took a pass from Iván Angulo and scored in the 18th minute to give Orlando City a 1-0 lead. Pašalić has scored in four straight matches against Inter Miami.
Inter Miami players celebrate after scoring a goal against Orlando City in MLS.
Defender Griffin Dorsey set up Martín Ojeda for a goal six minutes later for a 2-0 advantage that stood through halftime.
Inter Miami cut it to 2-1 four minutes into the second half on Mateo Silvetti’s first career goal. Defenders Segovia and Facundo Mura had assists as the 20-year-old forward found the net in his fifth career appearance.
Advertisement
Segovia had eight goals and six assists as a rookie last season, while Mura collected his first assist in his first season.
Dayne St. Clair, the reigning goalkeeper of the year, turned away three shots — all in the second half of his second start with Inter Miami, but let in a soft goal for Orlando’s first.
Maxime Crépeau had four saves in his second start for Orlando City.
Teenager Colin Guske, 19, will miss Orlando City’s next match after the rookie picked up two yellow cards in his first start — the second one led to his exit in the 88th minute.
Inter Miami, which had never won in its previous nine trips to Orlando, was coming off a 3-0 road loss to LAFC.
Advertisement
Orlando City swept Inter Miami during the regular season last year and leads the all-time series 8-7-4.
Inter Miami plays D.C. United on Saturday at Audi Field. Orlando City is also on the road with a match against New York City FC.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this recap.
Rain floods Miami Beach streets, cut short Miami Heat Family Festival
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Much-needed rain fell across South Florida on Sunday, but the downpour quickly led to flooding and traffic headaches.
“The drainage systems aren’t the best but in ten minutes it will be gone,” one person said.
The rain lasted longer than 10 minutes, flooding several spots along Collins Avenue in Miami Beach.
Advertisement
In one neighborhood, at least a foot of water blocked the entrance. Drivers who attempted to pass through sent waves crashing onto nearby sidewalks.
The heavy rain also snarled traffic on parts of Interstate 95 and on the bridges to and from Miami Beach, slowing drivers trying to get around the area.
“It’s Miami for you. What do they call it, a sun shower?” one driver said.
The weather disrupted Sunday plans for many. The 26th annual Miami Heat Family Festival was cut short after strong winds swept through Dan Paul Plaza, knocking over several tents.
There is no word yet on how or when the Miami Heat plan to make up the family festival.
Advertisement
🏠 News From Your Neighborhood
Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.
Brett Knese
Brett Knese joined the Local 10 News team as a general assignment reporter in March 2025.
