Miami Heat: 5 bold predictions for 2017-18 NBA season

4. Dion Waiters is named an All-Star

With five seasons under his belt and still just 25 years of age, Waiters is entering the prime of his career. After posting career highs in assists, rebounds and 3-point percentage, Waiters significantly rounded out his game in his first season with the Heat. As a result, he started to remove the stigma of being a selfish gunner that had followed him in his previous stops around the league.

As a complementary ball-handler next to Goran Dragic in the backcourt, Waiters displayed playmaking and passing abilities the few were aware he possessed. Last season, Waiters had eight games where he dished out seven or more assists. Over these games, the Heat posted a 7-1 record.

Considering Waiters played in just 46 games due to groin and ankle issues, his impact was profound. The impetus for his resurgence began with back-to-back 33-point games, providing Waiters with the confidence that he could legitimately perform at the highest level.

The exclamation point on these 33-point explosions was this infamous game-winning shot and pose afterward:

https://twitter.com/dionwaiters3/status/879536778784460800

So how does that translate into becoming an All-Star?

First of all, Waiters was rewarded by the Heat front office with a four-year, $52 million contract this summer. Just having the faith of the Heat means so much to player who was on his third team in three years when he arrived in South Beach.

Secondly, there is the Heat’s playing style. After starting last season with a disastrous 11-30, coach Spoelstra decided to go all out on a postion-less, wide open style of play whereby the Heat would employ a far more aggressive and free-flowing approach on offense. This suits Waiters to a tee.

While his self-confidence has been clear since coming out Syracuse, he hasn’t always been in the right circumstance to fully express himself through his actions on the floor.

But now, with the backing of the coaching staff and the players around him, combined with the reassurance of a new contract, the stars are aligned for Waiters to break through to the next level.