Dion Waiters ranks himself as a top-5 NBA shooting guard
By Wes Goldberg
Is Dion Waiters a top-five shooting guard in the NBA? Of course not. But that’s not really the point either.
Dion Waiters has never lacked confidence.
In an appearance on Colin Cowherd’s radio show, Waiters ranked himself as one of the top five shooting guards in the NBA, behind Houston’s James Harden, Golden State’s Klay Thompson and Chicago’s Dwyane Wade. He put himself one spot higher than Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan.
Top 5 shooting guards according to @dionwaiters3 pic.twitter.com/x2FhJcMtQr
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) July 10, 2017
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Waiters has had a nice off-season for himself. As the playoffs started without the Miami Heat, Waiters wrote a piece for the Players’ Tribune titled “The NBA Is Lucky I’m Home Doing Damn Articles” following a breakout season.
He turned that into the biggest contract of his career, signing a four-year, $52 million deal this summer to remain in Miami.
With goals of making it to the All-Star game, Waiters is placing himself among that tier of players. Even if most people–and the stats–do not. Waiters averaged 15.8 points per game last season.
Missing from his list are dudes like C.J. McCollum, Jimmy Butler and (if you want to list him as a shooting guard, because it seems he’ll be playing it in Boston) Gordon Hayward. All of them averaged more points per game than Waiters last season, and accumulated more Win Shares.
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But this list isn’t about accuracy. It’s about confidence. It’s about goals. Could Waiters, 25, one day be on this list? That’s not the point either! Waiters has found a home in Miami and has turned a corner with his new contract. After a rocky start to his career, he seems more comfortable and confident than ever.
It’s up to him now to prove his new contract, and himself, right.