Lindy Waters III

Lindy Waters III (born July 28, 1997) is a Kiowa and Cherokee-American professional basketball player who last played for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Waters entered the NBA in 2022 and has played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Golden State Warriors, and the Detroit Pistons as well as the Spurs. He was named a finalist for the NBA 2023–24 Social Justice Champion Award.

Early life Waters was born on July 28, 1997, to Lindy Waters Jr. and Lisa Waters. Waters is an enrolled citizen of the Kiowa tribe, and he is also of Cherokee Nation descent. His mother is of Cherokee and Irish descent, while his father is a full-blooded Native American.

In November 2015, Waters committed to playing college basketball for Oklahoma State.

College career During his freshman year, Waters sustained a concussion and a fractured foot that caused him to miss several games. He averaged 5.7 points per game on a team that reached the NCAA Tournament. Waters averaged 12.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game as a junior. As a senior, Waters averaged 10.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. In 17 games, he averaged 12.6 points, 4.9 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game. On July 6, 2021, he signed with Palmer Alma Mediterránea of the LEB Oro. However, the contract was voided on August 14 due to bureaucratic problems.

Oklahoma City Thunder / Blue (2021–2024) In October 2021, Waters joined the Oklahoma City Blue of the NBA G League after a successful tryout.

On February 10, 2022, Waters was signed to a two-way contract by his hometown team, the Oklahoma City Thunder. In the 2021-22 season, Waters competed in 25 games for the Thunder and averaged eight points per game.

On February 27, 2023, the Thunder converted Waters' deal into a multi-year standard contract. In the 2022-23 season, Waters played in 31 games for the Thunder and averaged 5.2 points per game. On February 9, 2024, he signed a multi-year contract with the Thunder. In the 2023-24 season, he played 38 games for the Thunder, averaging 3.6 points per game. In addition, Waters played in 10 games for the Blue and averaged 21.8 points per game.

During a preseason game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Waters hit a game-winning buzzer beater on October 5, 2024. This was his first career buzzer-beating game winner.

On October 29, 2024, Waters scored a season-high 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the Warriors' blowout victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. For the season, Waters competed in 38 games for the Warriors and averaged 5.5 points per game. He played in 14 games for the Pistons, averaging 4.4 points per game. That season, Waters played in 40 games for the Spurs and averaged 2.4 points per game.

Personal Life In 2026, Waters proposed to long-time crush, Rachelle Di Stasio after she ended her relationship with fellow NBA player, Jericho Sims.