MIAMI — A year after failing to make the cut as a rookie, Miami Heat 2024 first-round pick Kel’el Ware has been selected to appear in the Rising Stars competition for first- and second-year players during All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles.

The No. 15 pick in 2024 out of Indiana, Ware currently is dealing with a hamstring strain that sidelined him for the final four games of the Heat’s just completed five-game western swing.

The Rising Stars competition is scheduled for Feb. 13 at the Intuit Dome, home of the Los Angeles Clippers. That event will come two days after the Heat play on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Ware, a second-team NBA All-Rookie selection last season, becomes the 13th player over the Heat’s 38 seasons selected for the Rising Stars competition following Khalid Reeves (1995), Kurt Thomas (1996), Caron Butler (2003), Dwyane Wade (2004), Udonis Haslem (2004), Wade (2005), Haslem (2005), Michael Beasley (2009), Beasley (2010), Norris Cole (2012), Kendrick Nunn (2020), Tyler Herro (2020), Precious Achiuwa (2021), Herro (2021), Jaime Jaquez Jr. (2024) and Alondes Williams (2024).

Ware has appeared in 43 games this season, including 27 starts, averaging 11.6 points, a team-high 9.8 rebounds and a team-best 1.12 blocks in 23.8 minutes per game, shooting a team-best 54% from the field, .415 on 3-pointers and .815 from the foul line. He has scored in double-figures 24 times, including seven 20-point games, and has grabbed double-figure rebounds on 19 times, posting 14 double-doubles.

On Dec. 21 against the New York Knicks, he scored a career-high 28 points, grabbed a game-high 19 rebounds and connected on a team-high five 3-pointers, becoming the first Heat player to record each of those totals in a game and just the eighth player in NBA history to do so.

Earlier this season, Ware grabbed multiple offensive rebounds in a career-best 18-straight games, blocked a shot in a career-best 11 consecutive games and registered a career-best 20 rebounds vs. Cleveland on Nov. 10.

Additionally, Ware has connected on 51 3-pointers this season, the second-most by a 7-footer in team history, three shy from tying the franchise record of 53 by Meyers Leonard.

The Rising Stars features 21 NBA first- and second-year players, as well as seven G League players, to be divided into four teams.

Hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady will serve as honorary coaches for the Rising Stars mini-tournament, while Austin Rivers will coach the G League Rising Stars team.

As for the Feb. 15 All-Star Game itself, the Heat’s leading candidate is guard Norman Powell, with selections of All-Star reserves to be announced Sunday, with those selections made by conference coaches.

The Heat did not have an All-Star starter selected in the combined fan/player/media balloting, with those selections announced last week.

The Heat are in the midst of a two-day break, with their schedule resuming Wednesday against the Orlando Magic at Kaseya Center.