To say that the Milwaukee Bucks don't have much young talent is outlandish. Yet, in a recent piece from ESPN insiders discussing the three-year outlooks for every single NBA team, that's basically what they did. While a few heavy-hitters, headlined by newcomer Brayden Burries, were discussed, intriguing center Kel'el Ware was surprisingly omitted. He's set up to make sure they remember him.
"Outside of Ryan Rollins and 2026 lottery picks Brayden Burries and Nate Ament, Milwaukee is largely lacking in intriguing young talent."
Ware's ceiling is insanely high
Is the 7-foot, 22-year-old who shoots the long ball, rebounds incredibly well, and is a rising defender not impressive? Does that not warrant a mention? Few other NBA players have the type of attributes that Ware has flexed throughout his first two seasons. Once he puts the pieces together, there is no telling how good he can be.
Offensively, Ware's game is a rare breed. This past season, he shot 70.1 percent in the restricted area and 39.5 percent from distance. His ability to stretch the floor but also attack the hoop is the type of versatile attack that can make him a matchup nightmare at this level, especially with all of the stellar facilitators the Milwaukee Bucks will employ this season.
Defensively, no one is directly comparing him to Giannis Antetokounmpo or Victor Wembanyama, two giants who are incredibly versatile, but the similarities are there. All three have the height and athletic ability to defend the rim but also exit the paint and defend in space if needed. In today's NBA, big men will be picked apart if they cannot do both, and Ware can help the Bucks sleep easy in that regard.
Players like him don't grow on trees. The best part is that he will get better in year three and beyond.
Ware set up to excel in Milwaukee
Although he played a decent role, it's no secret that Ware's time in Miami was far from smooth sailing from start to finish. He and Coach Erik Spoelstra seemingly clashed at times, with the big man failing to carve out a consistent role. While he must earn it in Milwaukee, Ware will have a golden opportunity to earn a prominent role as he develops.
At the moment, he's slated to be Myles Turner's backup. While he'd likely rather outright start, this can be a good thing for Ware, who can learn from one of the league's best two-way centers and grow on a daily basis. If Milwaukee moves Turner, Ware may be more prepared to start and be the team's center of the future then. Being coached by a player development ace in Taylor Jenkins will also help.
If all goes according to plan, the Milwaukee Bucks already have the center of the future on the roster. Not listing him when discussing the team's young talent is outrageous, and Ware will prove it.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
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