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Why Native American heritage fuels newest Warrior Waters III originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Sitting by the pool on family vacation in Mexico, Lindy Waters III learned his life was about to change the morning of the second day of the 2024 NBA Draft. Born in Norman, Okla., all the 26-year-old has known is the Sooner State.
That changed one week ago, June 27, when Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy sent the Warriors’ second-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder to acquire the shooting guard who can light it up behind the 3-point line.
“I wasn’t really surprised, but it took me a little time to process,” Waters said to reporters Wednesday at Chase Center. “This is my first time going through something like this. I’m thankful that I had my family with me.”
Waters grew up playing with Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young and starred together at Norman North High School. While Young became a top draft pick his one season at Oklahoma, Waters played four years at Young’s rival Oklahoma State.
After going undrafted, Waters’ long journey to where he is now began in The Basketball League for the Enid Outlaws in Oklahoma. Six months later Waters was signed by the Oklahoma City Thunder’s G League affiliate, the OKC Blue, after impressing the organization at a tryout.
In February of 2022 he then signed a two-way contract for his hometown team, where Waters has spent the last three seasons between the G League and NBA.
“It’s pretty crazy coming from where I come from, to be able to make it through pretty much all the cities in Oklahoma and then make it to the big leagues,” Waters said. “That alone gives me confidence to know that I can take my talents wherever and be successful.”
All the trials and tribulations he went through in Oklahoma have guided Waters this far. But his true guiding lights comes from Waters’ heritage that he’s extremely proud of, and now will represent in the Bay Area.
Waters is an enrolled member of the Kiowa Tribe, with its headquarters being in Carnegie, Okla. He also is part of the Cherokee Nation. Oklahoma has the largest Cherokee population in America –…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/why-native-american-heritage-fuels-201601884.html
Author : NBC Sports BayArea
Publish date : 2024-07-04 20:16:01
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