Bucks’ Kel’el Ware Trains With Hakeem Olajuwon and the Timing Is Everything

Milwaukee Bucks fans are still processing the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. But one of the guys who came back in that deal is already giving them a reason to pay attention this summer.

Kel’el Ware posted video on Instagram of himself working out with Hakeem Olajuwon. The Rockets legend has been doing these sessions for years — LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard all went to him at some point. Seeing a 21-year-old big man with 14 career starts put in that work? That catches your eye.

A different kind of offseason for a young big

Ware spent two seasons with the Miami Heat after getting drafted No. 15 overall in 2024. He showed real potential during stretches — blocking shots, finishing above the rim, even knocking down threes at a decent clip. But Erik Spoelstra’s system doesn’t give you much room to coast. Ware’s motor would come and go. His defensive awareness lagged at times. In Miami, that gets you benched. In Milwaukee, with a rebuild underway, he should get more runway to figure it out.

The Olajuwon connection matters here because Ware’s game is still raw but the tools are obvious. He’s 7-foot with a wingspan that swallows space. He moves well for his size. If he can develop a reliable post game and improve his reads on defense, the Bucks might have gotten more than just a salary matcher in the Heat deal.

Milwaukee traded Giannis to Miami in a blockbuster that sent Ware, Nikola Jovic, multiple first-round picks and salary filler to the Bucks. The franchise essentially pressed reset. Ware is one of the key young pieces they’re betting on.

What this means for the Bucks’ timeline

Milwaukee isn’t trying to contend right now. They’re collecting young talent and draft capital. That gives Ware the kind of patience he probably wouldn’t have gotten in Miami, where Spoelstra runs a tight rotation and expects immediate execution. The Bucks can let him make mistakes. They can let him work out with Hall of Famers in July without anyone calling it a distraction.

The schedule comes out next month. But for now, this is the kind of offseason update that keeps the fanbase from staring too hard at the Giannis-sized hole in the roster.