MIAMI – Dion Waiters is opening up in a new way, sharing his story with the Players' Tribune.
Waiters penned an article on The Players' Tribune called "The NBA is Lucky I'm Home Doing Damn Articles."
In it, Waiters talks about his childhood in Philadelphia and his time with the Miami Heat.
Waiters wrote about his first meeting with team President Riley, comparing Riley to Robert De Niro in the movie Casino.
"I walked into his office and ... damn," Waiters wrote. "The hair was slicked back, and he was wearing one of those suits of his, you know real O.G., looking like a million bucks. Behind him, he's got photos of all his championship teams lining the walls. He's wearing one of his nine rings."
Waiters described how the Heat were going to get him into better shape, but not just basketball shape, "world-class shape."
The Heat guard said Riley asked him to reveal something about himself that wasn't basketball. Waiters told Riley about his rough childhood in Philadelphia, losing countless friends to gun violence.
Waiters talked about the loss of a special friend Rhamik, whom he met on the basketball courts.
Waiters described how much he liked his time in Miami.
The nicknames and jokes about Waiters' confidence is something that he's well aware of, but, Waiters said, "You think you could survive in Philly without irrational confidence?"
Waiters made is clear that he really wants to stay in Miami.
In fact, his 3-year-old son is loving it.
"My son even got a little girlfriend down here," Waiters wrote. "He's three. Can you believe that? Miami is like that. She runs right up to him to give him a hug and says, 'Hi, boyfriend.' Then she runs away."
Many Heat fans are hoping Waiters doesn't run away this summer when free agency begins.