Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters experienced a panic attack on the team’s charter flight Thursday night after consuming a THC-infused edible, sources told ESPN.
Waiters received medical treatment after the plane landed in Los Angeles following the Heat’s victory over the Phoenix Suns.
As in our original story, the Miami Heat have yet to comment.
THC/marijuana is a banned substance by the NBA — even if it is legal in Colorado (where the Heat had recently been on their road trip) and California (where the plane landed). The league will look into this matter, but there is a set-out series of steps for a marijuana violation (first offense he enters into the league’s marijuana program but there is no punishment, second offense is a $25,000 fine not make public, the third offense is a five-game suspension, and the suspensions increase by five games for each subsequent offense).
Here is the original story:
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Here is what we know for sure: Dion Waiters did not suit up for the Miami Heat Friday night due to “illness.”
When Heat coach Eric Spoelstra was asked pregame about Waiter’s health he went with a very standard coach tactic of saying he would only talk about the players suiting up.
Waiters did fly back with the team to Miami on Saturday morning.
Beyond that, there are just questions, ones the Heat have yet to address.
A report surfaced during Friday night’s game, from a Miami radio personality, that Waiters had overdosed on “gummies” — we can assume these are THC-laced edibles — and had a seizure when he woke up.
UPDATE: Dion Waiters is the Heat player who had medical emergency on team plane, I’ve confirmed.
— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) November 9, 2019
Waiters overdosed on “gummies,” sources say, and was passed out when plane landed.
He had a seizure when he was finally woken up, I’m told.
Waiters was listed out tonight (illness)
He is the only person with that specific report. Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel confirmed that Waiters did have a medical emergency on the plane and first responders met the Heat charter when it landed in Los Angeles, but he did not have other details.
When Spoelstra was asked after the game about the “gummies” report he walked away and said no comment.
Heat officials told NBC Sports after the game they would not comment on Waiters, his health or status with the team.
The Heat were on a three-game road trip that included a stop in Denver (marijuana use is legal in Colorado), and then they flew to Phoenix. Waiters did not play against the Suns, with the team saying he had a stomach ache.
Waiters has yet to suit up for the Heat this season and was for the opening night game for “conduct detrimental to the team.” With the emergence of rookies Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro the Heat have not really needed Waiters on the court, and if he misses four more games he will not get a $1.2 million performance bonus that is part of his contract.
The buzz around the league is the Heat are trying to trade Waiters, but the two-years, $24.8 million still on his contract may make that difficult. There is not going to be a lot of demand for his services right now.