How Waters’ native pride fuels his incredible NBA journey originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – However Lindy Waters III is undiscovered to much of America, he is a welcome discovery for the Warriors and an emerging hero to a marginalized nation of millions.
when Golden State acquired Waters in a June trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder, it was because they valued his deep shooting ability. That’s his ticket to the NBA. The 6-foot-6 wing shot 43.5 percent from deep in limited action with the Thunder last season and through four preseason games is draining triples at a rate of 57.9 percent.
“I’d say we have 13 players that look like they’re rotation players to me, Lindy is one of them,” coach Steve Kerr said.
Through his early play with the Warriors, Waters is putting himself in position to strengthen his platform. The more familiar he becomes to the average fan, the more Americans he can influence.
For Aquas, 27, Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Monday has a particularly strong meaning. He is that rare breed, a Native NBA player. Born in Colorado, raised mostly in Oklahoma, he is a citizen of the Kiowa Nation and a descendant of proud Cherokees. He’s exploring the Bay Area’s relationship to the indigenous community, he said after practice Monday, which coincided with Indigenous Peoples Day.
“There’s a lot to discover,” Waters said. “I hear a lot about stories about Alcatraz and the surrounding tribes so I’m excited to learn more about that. But today is Indigenous Peoples Day, so I can celebrate that with my people.”
Native People’s Day is a relatively new American holiday, slowly replacing Columbus Day and being recognized as the rightful original Americans.
More than five million Americans identify as indigenous, but only Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving (part Lakota), Milwaukee Bucks forward MarJon Beauchamp (Mission, Luiseño) and Waters share the ancestry and identify with the culture.
“Me, MarJon and Kyrie are the top three in the NBA that really carry that legacy with us,” Waters said. “And we take it upon ourselves to have that responsibility to be there for our community, so to be able to celebrate with everyone around us is amazing.”
Waters was not always comfortable with his connection to the Native American community; his father, Lindy Jr., and other descendants were closer to the tribal culture. Young Lindy’s awakening came later, in high school, and he now embraces all that comes with being indigenous.
Not long after Waters accepted a scholarship to play basketball at Oklahoma State, he was mentoring Native American kids and holding basketball clinics specifically designed for a group that may feel isolated from life on the reservation.
He was later named “Indian of the Year” by the American Indian Exhibition. He created the “Lindy Waters III Foundation,” whose mission is to “strengthen and support Native American youth and indigenous communities through sports, health and wellness, and leadership programs.”
Although he played sparingly for the Thunder last season, Waters was one of five finalists for the NBA’s Champion of Social Justice award, named after Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
And now, having left Oklahoma and become a a member of the high-profile WarriorsWaters hopes to make the most of its proximity to local and global culture.
“I was excited that I was ready to get out of Oklahoma and just explore and become myself,” Waters said. “To learn more about myself off the court, get to know new people, with new players. I was ecstatic and eager to come here, so it’s been great since I’ve been here.”
If he continues to shoot at anything close to his early efficiency, he will continue to get minutes with the Warriors and become part of their new identity. They’ll shoot a lot of 3-pointers, which lines up well with Waters’ family nickname: “Trey.”
