SYRACUSE --
It’s a common belief that Syracuse Orange NBA Draft hopeful Dion Waiters has been promised a specific selection in next week’s draft, or at the very least, feels very confident that he will be a top 15 pick.
Most experts agree that when he shut down his pre-draft workouts recently, it was a clear indication that he is more than comfortable as to where he’ll hear his name called July 28th.
The question still remains though, who has instilled such confidence in Waiters?
ESPN’s Chad Ford rates Waiters as the second-best two-guard in the draft, behind only Florida’s Bradley Beal.
Dion averaged 12.6 points and 1.8 steals per game off the bench in his sophomore year at SU. Someone obviously sees top value for him as an early first round pick.
Ben Watanabe on NESN projects Waiters is going at the 8th pick to the Toronto Raptors. While the Raptors G.M. Bryan Colangelo denied any promises made to Dion, many experts feel he’s an undeniable perfect fit in Toronto.
Portland’s GM Neil Olshey also denies any draft promise, although many feel that he would be the perfect 11th pick for the Blazers, a 2nd Portland pick overall.
Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated goes as far to say that Dion Waiters will be taken as the 7th pick by the Golden State Warriors. Amick feels that Waiters' "ability to make an immediate impact offensively while also playing some point guard is appealing to a number of lottery teams."
The Phoenix Suns are also rumored to have made Waiters the promise of a 13th pick. ESPN’s John Hollinger’s stats would indicate that pick would be a steal for the Suns. Dion is ranked as the draft’s best perimeter player on Hollinger’s annual Draft Rater, and he compares Waiters to Dwane Wade. "
Waiters projects as the best small wing since Dwyane Wade, writes Hollinger, and he’d be a steal if somebody got him in the Nos. 8-10 range currently being discussed.
