Dion Waiters

Strengths

Right-handed… There's a lot to like about Waiters, the 6'4", bruising 210-pound shooting guard. He is a talented offensive player who can seemingly get to the rim at will where he usually finishes with an explosive throw down or show off his fluid stroke from anywhere on the court. He can knock down shots from the mid-range area as well as behind the arc, although he would much rather score from 20-feet and in. He can be a dominant scorer at the next level. He is just as effective spotting up in transition or coming off screens in the half court setting to knock down jumpers. When defenses start attacking Waiters over the top of these screens or playing him for his jump shot, Waiters attacks the rim strongly and aggressively, allowing him to get to the free throw line at a decent clip… His ball-handling not only enhance his ability to score the ball off the dribble or attack defenses through dribble-drives and pull-up jumpers, but also allow him to play point guard, where Waiters could flourish as a combo guard. He has very good court vision, threading bounce passes to cutters through traffic. Because defenses must focus on Waiters, he uses his offensive prowess and scoring abilities to open up passing lanes and the low post.

Weaknesses

Defensively, Waiters needs to show more desire at the next level. He plays the passing lanes well which should benefit him playing in Coach Boeheim's 2-3 zone, but he needs to see both the man in his zone and the ball. He has difficulties keeping track of both, leaving the weak side exposed… As a point guard, Waiters must work harder to create not just for himself, but for his teammates. He tends to look for his own offense a bit too much and takes some ill-advises shots at times.