It was a memorable season for the journeyman shooting guard, who looks as if he’s finally found a place to call home with the Miami Heat.
Much like that of a Stephen King novel, the young career of Dion Waiters has had its ups and downs. He started off strong, sputtered a little, then caught fire toward the end, just like he did this season, and just like he’s done since entering the NBA back in the summer of 2012.
For years, Waiters was viewed as an irritant on the court. He often clashed with coaches and teammates over his role, and his fractured relationship with Kyrie Irving allegedly led to the Cavaliers pushing him out of Cleveland.
After a short stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder, everything changed upon his arrival in Miami.
Much like fellow journeyman teammate James Johnson, Waiters fully embraced what is known as the Heat culture, and took the challenge head on. It could not have benefited him any greater.
After working himself into what he calls the best shape of his life, Waiters posted the second-highest points per game average of his career to go along with career-highs in assists, rebounds, and minutes. He also shot a career-best 39 percent from downtown, playing a key role in Miami’s memorable second-half surge, one in which it boasted the second-best record in the NBA at 30-11.
Far beyond any statistic, however, was Waiters’s uncanny ability to come through when the Heat needed him the most, specifically with his outside shooting (see: the shot vs Golden State).
Jumper after jumper, Waiters delivered for the Heat, earning himself several nicknames among the Miami faithful, including D-Wait (I chuckled at that one), Waiters Island, and Mr. Clutch.
Nothing seemed to phase him, but adapting to the Miami system was not a cake walk, as he pointed out in a recent article published in The Players’ Tribune:
“When Pat said ‘world-class shape,’ I thought it sounded cool, but in my head, I was like, Yeah, I got this. I’m in world-class shape. You already know.” Waiters said. “So I show up for camp, and after one week, my body is shot. I was damn near throwing up in trash cans like in the movies.”
Let’s take a look at his season.