Last Updated on April 19, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Dion Waiters
  • Nickname: “Philly Cheese,” “Kobe Wade”
  • Nationality: American
  • Date of Birth: December 10, 1991
  • Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
  • Height: 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
  • Weight: 210 lbs (95 kg)
  • Wingspan: 6 ft 7 in (201 cm)
  • Shoe Size: US 14
  • Jersey Number:
    • #11 — Syracuse Orange
    • #3 — Cleveland Cavaliers
    • #23 — Oklahoma City Thunder
    • #11 — Miami Heat
    • #18 — Los Angeles Lakers
  • Position: Shooting Guard
  • High School:
    • South Philadelphia High School
    • The Patterson School
  • College: Syracuse University
  • NBA Draft: 2012 — Round 1, Pick 4 — Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Player Archetype: Microwave scoring guard / instant-offense combo guard
  • Primary Offensive Role: Shot creator and isolation scorer; second-unit offensive engine
  • Defensive Role: On-ball guard defender with physical tools but inconsistent engagement
  • Play Style: Confident, rhythm-based scorer; thrives in pull-ups, tough shot-making, and streak scoring bursts
  • Handedness / Shooting Hand: Right-handed
  • Athletic Profile: Strong, compact frame; quick first step, good body control; more burst than vertical explosiveness
  • Recruiting Status: Consensus Top-25 recruit in 2010 class
  • Draft Status Detail: High-upside scorer drafted top-5 despite bench role at Syracuse due to elite shot creation
  • Injury Status Category: Moderate Risk — ankle issues and conditioning fluctuations affected consistency
  • Career Stage: Former NBA role player (peak mid-2010s; last NBA season 2020)
  • Comparison Style: Confident scoring guards reliant on shot creation and streak scoring
  • Comparable Players:
    • Jamal Crawford — elite microwave scorer off the bench
    • Nick Young — streaky shot-maker with high confidence
    • Jordan Clarkson — modern isolation-heavy bench scorer
    • Lou Williams — instant offense guard with scoring bursts
  • Teams Played For:
    • Cleveland Cavaliers (2012–2015)
    • Oklahoma City Thunder (2015–2016)
    • Miami Heat (2016–2020)
    • Los Angeles Lakers (2020)
  • Championship Rings: 1 — 2020 (Los Angeles Lakers)
  • Parents: Not widely documented
  • Children: Yes (not publicly detailed)
  • Siblings: Has siblings (limited public detail)
  • Retirement Age: Not officially retired (last played at age 28–29)
  • Retirement Year: N/A (last NBA appearance 2020)

Dion Waiters fits the player archetype of a microwave scoring guard, operating primarily as an isolation-heavy offensive creator while providing situational on-ball defense with inconsistent intensity. Offensively, he functioned as a secondary scoring option or bench focal point, relying on tough shot-making, pull-up jumpers, and self-created looks rather than structured playmaking. Physically, his strong 6’3″ frame, long wingspan, and quick first step allowed him to absorb contact and create space, though he wasn’t an elite vertical athlete. His play style revolved around confidence and rhythm—capable of explosive scoring bursts that could swing games, but also prone to inefficiency and streakiness, making him a high-variance offensive weapon throughout his career.

Sources:
Basketball Reference — Dion Waiters Stats
NBA.com — Dion Waiters Player Profile
ESPN — Dion Waiters Bio