Former Oklahoma State Star Poised for Breakout Season With Warriors
A former Oklahoma State star could be poised for his best season in the NBA.
Lindy Waters III played at OSU from 2016-20 and did not make it to an NBA roster until 2022. After three seasons in the league, he might have found a perfect situation.
With the Cowboys, Waters was a sharpshooter and became a reliable scoring option in Stillwater. Averaging 9.5 points and shooting 39% from 3-point range in his college career, Waters paved the way for a potential NBA career.
During the 2024 NBA Draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder traded Waters to the Golden State Warriors for a second-round pick. After spending his first three seasons with the Thunder, Waters now has an opportunity he has not had before.
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While the Thunder were the the first NBA team to give Waters a shot, he struggled to break into the rotation with a sea of young talent around him. After averaging 18.6 minutes per game in 25 appearances with the Thunder in the 2021-22 season, his playing time has decreased dramatically.
Playing only 7.4 minutes in 38 games last season, Waters was essentially relegated to garbage time and end-of-quarter situations. While that is understandable for a team that rose to the No. 1 seed in the West, the Warriors offer a much lower-stakes environment.
Fresh off a play-in tournament exit and the departure of franchise icon Klay Thompson, Golden State is not near championship contention. Making the playoffs will be an uphill battle for the Warriors, but that will be the expectation nonetheless.
That situation provides a nice middle ground for Waters, who spent two seasons in Oklahoma City with a rebuilding group before it became a championship contender last season. As the Warriors look to replace Thompson’s firepower from beyond the arc, Waters will have an opportunity to compete for playing time against other options, including former Oklahoma Sooner Buddy Hield.
While there is no guarantee Waters will be a significant piece for the Warriors next season, he is looking at his best opportunity yet to extend his professional career.
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Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.