Getty Los Angeles Lakers guard Dion Waiters.
Los Angeles Lakers combo guard, Dion Waiters is an NBA Champion as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Coincidentally, the Lakers’ win came over the Miami Heat, the team he used to play for. Earlier this past season, Waiters was suspended for a total of three times by the Heat which included a 10-game suspension for ingesting a weed gummy while on the team plane.
Waiters was later traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, waived and then signed by the Lakers back in March.
Now a member of the 2020 Lakers championship team, Waiters posted a photo holding the Larry O’Brien championship trophy with an eye opening caption.
“F**k they opinion,” Waiters wrote.
“They gone talk regardless. Since I was 7 all I had was a dollar and a dream literally. Champ cheese. Call me what you want. Just don’t leave out he’s a champion. I’m Him on and off the court! The hate will never equal to the love. That sh*t stink don’t it.”
In addition to the Instagram post, Waiters was outspoken in the Lakers’ room during their Championship celebration. “They tried to bury me,” he said via Instagram Live.
“The suspensions and all. They tried to bury me. I didn’t even do nothing. Look at me now.”
Waiters made his Lakers debut against the Los Angeles Clippers on July 30, 20202 and scored 11 points in the Lakers’ 111-103 win.
Waiters saw limited action throughout the 2020 NBA Playoffs.
A scoring combo guard, in addition to time spent with the Heat, Waiters, 28, has also had playing stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder. Prior to signng with the Lakers, Waiter had only played three games in the regular season and had a career average of 13.2 points per contest.
The fourth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Waiters had a great year statistically in his rookie campaign with the Cavaliers and notched 14.7 points, three assists, 2.4 rebounds and added one steal in 28.8 minutes of action.
Waiters shot 41.2 percent from the field and notched 31 percent from downtown. Waiters also shot 74.6 percent from the free-throw line.
The Lakers defeated the Jimmy Butler, Goran Dragic, Andre Iguodala and Bam Adebayo-led Miami Heat in six NBA Finals games.
Guided by head coach, Erik Spoelstra, the Heat lost 4-2 to the Lakers in their best of seven series.
Guided by head coach, Frank Vogel and assistant coaches Jason Kidd and Phil Handy, Lionel Hollins, Miles Simon, Mike Penberthy, Quinton Crawford and Greg St. Jean, the Lakers finished the regular season with a 52-19 season and a first place finish.
LeBron James was the 2020 NBA Finals MVP. In the regular season, James, 35, a sixteen-time NBA All-Star, averaged 25.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 10.2 assists and 1.2 steals per contest. James is now a four time NBA Champion with the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and now the Lakers.
On-court partner, Anthony Davis was potent for the Lakers, as well. A seven-time NBA All-Star and first overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft out of Kentucky, Davis, 27, averaged 26.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.3 blocks in the regular season.
The Lakers’ supporting cast also included Dwight Howard, Kyle Kuzma, Alex Caruso, Danny Green, JR Smith, Rajon Rondo, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jared Dudley, Quinn Cook, Devontae Cacok, Avery Bradley, Markieff Morris, JaVale McGee, Talen Horton-Tucker and Kostas Antetokounmpo.