Lindy Waters III Biography: Net Worth, Salary, Family, Career, and Stats

If one looks at the Detroit Pistons’ current roster, Lindy Waters III emerges as one of the premier rotation players in the squad. From draining threes during crunch time to creating scoring opportunities off the bench, Lindy Waters is the man a coach would best trust with the job. However, how much do we know about this super sub that the Pistons would now rely on for their newfound resurgence in the East?

Lindy Waters III’s story is an interesting and inspiring narrative for every young athlete aspiring to enter the NBA. In this article, let’s learn more about the young shooting guard, his life beyond basketball, his career statistics, and more.

Lindy Waters III Early Life

Lindy Waters III was born on July 28, 1997, to Lindy Waters Jr. and Lisa Waters. Waters is of Native American Kiowa and Cherokee ancestry. Since childhood, Waters’ parents ensured Lindy was aware and proud of his roots as a Native American. Hence, when he was just four, the family moved to Norman, Oklahoma, where young Lindy learned to understand more about his culture.

It wasn’t until high school that Lindy Waters III fully started embracing his culture or the significance of his roots. He started seeking new experiences, such as trips to the Stokes Stomp Grounds in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, where he witnessed the powerful Cherokee stomp dances.

Waters studied at Norman North High School and was expelled for posing with an airsoft gun during his senior year. Following this incident, he transferred to Sunrise Christian Academy. However, after a few months, he was allowed to return to Norman North and rejoin the school’s basketball team.

Lindy Waters III Biography

Lindy Waters III Career

Lindy Waters III is a textbook definition of a sharpshooter in the NBA. When a team’s offense is letting down, Waters is that boost every team needs from the bench to lead them into scoring. Let’s dive into Waters’ journey in navigating professional basketball and how he became a trusted NBA bench guy for every team he has played for.

Lindy Waters III High School Career

Lindy Waters III first attended Norman North High School before getting expelled during his senior year for posing for a picture with an airsoft gun. He was transferred to Sunrise Christian Academy before returning to Norman North several months later. He was part of Norman North’s basketball team and has led the team to the state title game. He committed to playing college basketball for Oklahoma State in 2015.

Lindy Waters III College Career

Lindy Waters III attended Oklahoma State, where he played for four years. In his freshman season, Waters sustained a concussion and a fractured foot that made him miss several games. When Oklahoma State reached the NCAA Tournament that season, Waters averaged 5.7 points per game.

As a sophomore, Waters averaged 8.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. In August 2018, Waters was named “Indian of the Year” by an Intertribal Council. As a junior, he averaged 12.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. In his senior year, he averaged 10.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game.

Here is a breakdown of Waters III’s stats while playing for Oklahoma State:

Lindy Waters III Professional Career

Lindy Waters III declared for the 2020 NBA Draft but went undrafted. He soon signed for Enid Outlaws of The Basketball League, where he played 17 games. Soon after, he signed an overseas contract with Palmer Alma Mediterranea of LEB Oro based in Palma, Spain. However, that contract was voided on August 14 due to bureaucratic problems.

In October 2021, NBA G League team Oklahoma City Blue signed Waters after a successful tryout. During his first season at his G-League stint, Waters averaged 8.3 rebounds, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. He soon earned a two-way contract with OKC Thunder, which was converted into a multi-year standard contract a year later. OKC Thunder then reassigned him to the G-League before resigning Waters to a two-way contract by declining his team option.

On June 27, 2024, the Golden State Warriors traded their 52nd pick for Waters III. However, the Warriors re-acquired their pick hours later in exchange for cash compensation. In a preseason game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Waters hit a buzzer-beater, marking his first career buzzer-beater game-winner. Waters scored his season-high 21 points and 8 rebounds in a blowout victory against the New Orleans Pelicans on October 29, 2024.

On February 6, 2025, Waters was traded to the Detroit Pistons in a five-team trade, including Jimmy Butler to the Warriors.

Lindy Waters III Awards and Achievements

Lindy Waters III won the NBA G-League championship with the Oklahoma City Blue in 2024. He was named a finalist for the 2023-24 NBA Social Justice Champion Award for his foundation working to support Native American youth through sports, health, and wellness.

Lindy Waters III Records

Lindy Waters III ranked 29th on OKC Thunder’s all-time 3-pointers list with 148 three-pointers made. Furthermore, Waters ranks 14th in Thunder franchise history in 3-point percentage among qualified shooters, shooting 37.7% from beyond the arc.

Lindy Waters III Salary and Net Worth

Lindy Waters III will earn $2,196,970 for the 2024-25 season. He has signed four contracts to date, all of which have a total value of $8,317,768. Waters will be a Restricted Free Agent (RFA) at the end of the 2024-25 season, as per SalarySwish. Waters’ net worth is estimated to be around $2.7 million.

While no information is available on Waters’ endorsement deals, the shooting guard is well-known for his charity efforts. Waters runs the Lindy Waters III Foundation, which helps develop Native American youth and indigenous communities to further their sporting dreams.

Lindy Waters III Girlfriend

No information on Lindy Waters III’s girlfriend or relationship status is available. Waters remains private about his personal affairs and focuses on advancing his basketball career.

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Lindy Waters III Parents

Lindy Waters III was born to Lindy Waters Jr. and Lisa Waters. His family is of Native American origin, belonging to the Kiowa and Cherokee tribes. Since childhood, Lindy’s parents have ensured he is connected to his roots and well aware of his culture.

When young Lindy was four, the Waters family moved to Norman, Oklahoma, where Lindy felt closer to his culture than ever before. It wasn’t until high school that Lindy Waters III started embracing his Native American identity. Waters is an enrolled citizen of the Kiowa tribe and claims to be of Cherokee Nation descent.

Lindy Waters III Shoes

As per Kix Stats, Lindy Waters III played 99.3% of his games wearing Nike shoes. Out of this, he played 52.9% of the games wearing Nike Kobe 6 shoes, 22.2% wearing Nike Kyrie Low 5, 9.8% of games wearing Nike Zoom Freak 3 shoes, and 5.9% Nike PG 5 shoes.

Amongst these, Waters was also seen wearing Nike Air Zoom GT Cut shoes, Nike KD 16, Nike Cosmic Unity, Nike Kobe X Low, Nike Sabrina 1, Nike Kobe IV Protro, and Nike KD 4 shoes.

Lindy Waters III Jersey

Lindy Waters wore the jersey number 12 during his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder and 43 while playing for the Golden State Warriors and the Detroit Pistons.