Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters reportedly suffered a panic attack on the team’s flight Thursday night. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Adrian Wojnarowski, Waiters took an edible infused with THC, one of the main compounds in cannabis.
Dion Waiters had a panic attack on Heat team flight after taking an edible sources tell @wojespn and me: https://t.co/rfMHsNsnVa
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) November 10, 2019
He had sat out Thursday’s game against the Phoenix Suns with a stomach ache, and reportedly took the edible for relief. The substance caused Waiters to have a bad reaction to it, and he had to receive medical attention in Los Angeles once the plane landed. Waiters was listed as having an illness for Friday’s game against the Lakers and was not there.
This adds on to the rocky start Waiters has had with the Heat this season. He has only been listed as active for two out of the nine games played so far, but he has yet to suit up for a game in 2019.
He lost his spot in the rotation because of the emergence of rookies Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn, which caused him to express his frustration on social media. Miami then suspended him from the season opener for “conduct detrimental to the team.”
Waiters missed time during the preseason as well due to personal reasons, according to ESPN.
UPDATE: Waiters has been suspended 10 games by the Heat for conduct detrimental to the team, Shams Charania first reported.
The team believes a teammate gave him the edible, but Waiters has refused to give the name of anyone else involved.
The suspension includes Friday’s loss to the Lakers that Waiters missed, although he will no longer be eligible for a $1.2 million bonus that he would’ve received if he played in 70 or more games this season.
