Getting picked high in the NBA Draft doesn’t guarantee a massive career, and Dion Waiters is a recent example of that. He was chosen 4th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers but never nailed down a starting spot in his eight seasons in the league.
He struggled with off-court issues as well as finding the right fit on many of the teams he was on and hasn’t played since the 2019-20 season, despite being just 31 years old. And as he prepares to try and make it back, Waiters has opened up about struggling with depression and some suicidal thoughts.
“I just wasn’t having fun,” Waiters said to Bleacher Report. “I had thoughts of not being around, but I’ve got kids. I’d rather be miserable for the rest of my life than to leave my kids without a father. I didn’t want to be around anyone, and everybody was still asking for s–t.
“I’m a one-man army as far as finances go. I’m the backbone. S–t was dark. Some days, I’d sleep in the bed all day. I had nothing to look forward to. I wasn’t working out. It’s a mental battle.”
A lot of NBA players go through tough times, but not many can make it back to the top. Waiters has the talent to do it, when he was with the Miami Heat between 2016 to 2018, he averaged 15.2 points per game. But injuries, suspensions, and poor attitude saw him exit the league, despite becoming a champion with the Los Angeles Lakers in the last year. If he can make it back, this will be an inspirational story.
Dion Waiters Believes He Can Still Contribute To NBA Teams
A three-year absence from the league is tough to come back from, but Waiters has been working on himself consistently. He has been trying to inspire others with his words in these intervening years as well. And he explained in the same interview what any team that signs him will be getting.
“A team would get a guy that can come in and play right away and contribute on the court and in the locker room. I can still play-make, score, and be a dog on defense. I’m still confident in my abilities, but I have a better mindset of team dynamics and knowing that you have to do what’s asked of you.”
There has been a lot of conversation around the NBA recently about teams needing more veterans on rosters. As the league gets younger, some stars haven’t had the vets around them to help them navigate the NBA and life. Dion Waiters has already made his mistakes, and he could fulfill that role for a young team, while also getting some buckets on the side if he gets the chance.
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