How Waters went from DoorDash driver to rising Warriors standout originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Lindy Waters III had an unusual path to NBA fame, which included driving for DoorDash and mowing lawns.
In a video with Bleacher Report, Waters III explained his experience playing in a semi-pro league out of college and the extra jobs he had to take on to pay the bills.
“The Basketball League is like a domestic, semi-professional league, and it gave me [a place] to continue to play,” Waters III said. “We had a great team; we went 30-3 and won the championship. That was more of a grind than the G-League was. It’d be like six in the morning, and I’d drive to Omaha or Houston or Dallas and play the day of the game and then drive back.
“And then when I would get home, I’d have to find out how to make some money, so I go DoorDash or cut some grass. I was just trying to get by. And then I got a call one day just to come in and work out with [the Oklahoma City Thunder]. I had nothing to lose so I was just up there hooping, having fun. They gave me a G-League spot and I just worked as hard as I could to get where I’m at. It was a ride, that was a year of growth for me.”
Waters played four seasons at Oklahoma State before going undrafted in the 2020 NBA Draft. After playing with the Enid Outlaws of The Basketball League, he joined the Thunder’s G-League affiliate Blue in 2021.
Eventually, he landed an NBA roster spot with the Thunder before being traded to the Warriors last June.
Since joining Golden State, Waters III has been electric from the three-point line, helping the Warriors to a 4-1 start to the season. The 27-year-old has more than earned his roster spot on a deep team with arguably the best bench in the NBA. Through five games, the Warriors bench is averaging 59.0 points per game, the most in the league.
Given his solid start to his tenure in Golden State, don’t expect to see Waters III doing any more DoorDash deliveries.
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