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Photo via CBS Sports.com
This is the perfect example of what “sample size” really means. All season the best player on the Syracuse Orange has come off the bench and played an efficiently, elite season statistically.
Dion Waiters is a sophomore guard that has really come into his own this season. As a shooting guard he stands 6-4 215 lbs. with a good NBA frame. That is about average for his position, not too small and not at an elite size. Waiters is a talented scorer with playmaking abilities and plays both ends of the floor solidly. Coming off the bench for a winning team is an ideal situation for any young prospect and head coach Jim Boehim is handling Waiters perfectly for the next level.
Coming out of high school Waiters was the 29th best player (5th best shooting guard) according to Rivals.com committing to Syracuse despite their array of talented, young guards. As a freshman he played only 16.3 MPG (scoring 6.6 PPG) and advanced to 22.2 MPG (scoring 12.6 PPG) as a sophomore. In one season Waiters learned how to score an additional point per minute he was given in the rotation. That is efficiency.
At the next level Waiters is not going to be a 35 minute a game starter right away and that is generally the disconnect between college stars and resulting in them hitting the preverbal “rookie wall.” Being comfortable with a bench role will help Waiters transition quicker than most.
Despite being a “bench player” Waiters has an bevy of talents that would have him start on nearly every other team in Division I basketball.
As an offensive player Waiters is very efficient and well rounded. He is a good shooter that can extend his range to the NBA three with regularity. His shot has a smooth, consistent release allowing him to shoot a high percentage. The body movement on his jump shot is consistent as well, but has an odd motion. In the air, during the release, he kicks his legs forward which helps create space, but could cause for awkward landings in the future.
His shot creates opportunities for penetrating with his good combination of ball-handling, quick first step, and strength to finish at the rim. Waiters is very balanced and eases effortlessly on the court. Some seem to have to move at full speed and in turn either crash-and-burn or make a good play. Of course Waiters makes bad plays here-and-there turning the ball over, but he is always in control.
Athletically he is not spectacular, but all those physical traits mentioned above allow him to outplay other, more dynamic athletes. His ability to get around the first layer of the defense allows Waiters to be a playmaker for others as well. He is not a volume assist man, nor is he projected as a point guard, but he has shown that he can make plays for others. He is a good passer, often making the simple play verses trying to force a spectacular one.
In transition and in the paint Waiters is a very good finisher. He is strong enough to take a bump and get the shot up over bigger defenders. On the run he is a very unselfish player looking to make the play that results in points. He has a few highlight dunks on the season, but that is not his game.
Defense is where Waiters separates himself from the pack. In Syracuse they run the 2-3 Zone that helps and hurts the overall dynamic of his defense.
First the positives. In the zone Waiters is able to trap and cause a lot of turnovers with his quick hands and strength. Playing on the top of the zone Waiters shows his natural instincts and quickness getting back to the ball as it is shifted from side-to-side. He has quick feet, good instincts, and good hands on defense.
The negatives are pretty clear; the 2-3 Zone is not used very often in the NBA. That has not hindered Carmelo Anthony, Hakim Warrick, Wesley Johnson, Jonny Flynn, and others from making it at the next level, but the defensive transition will still be there. With the clear athletic and instinctual skills Waiters has he should make the transition smoothly as well.
Overall Waiters is a very complete shooting guard prospect that will be ready for an impact at the next level sooner verse later. He does not start, but plays big time minutes a la Vinnie “The Microwave” Johnson. His smooth style allows him to score effortlessly and keeps Waiters at an even pace, not too fast or too slow. As a sophomore he still has plenty of time to grow or take his game to the next level.
