Orange In the NBA: Dion Waiters Named To All-Rookie Team

Carmelo Anthony isn't the only former Orange(man) earning accolades.

The NBA announced its All-Rookie team for 2013 and Syracuse fans will be pleased to see Dion Waiters among their number. Dion joins Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal, The Unibrow (a.k.a. Anthony Davis) and Harrison Barnes on the first team. Sadly, the other Syracuse rookies in the League (Kris Joseph and Fab Melo) failed to garner recognition.

Waiters had a solid, if inconsistent rookie campaign, averaging 14.7 PPG, 3.0 APG and 1.0 SPG for a Cleveland Caveliers team that went 24-58 and finished in last place in the Central Division. He had his share of spectacular moments, but was overall panned for his inconsistency.

Dion's meteoric rise from fringe first round pick to lottery selection is the stuff of NBA draft legend, especially considering he held no private workouts with any teams. It was widely rumored that a team had promised to pick him in the lottery, but it was never revealed which team make that promise or if such a promise was actually made. Regardless of how it happened, though, Dion went 4th overall and is the most successful draft pick Syracuse has produced since Carmelo.

Congrats to Dion and may this be just the beginning of many great things to come.