No one would blame Reese Waters for being sullen or bitter after a stress fracture in his right foot pushed him grudgingly to the sidelines.
This was supposed to be the San Diego State senior guard’s team and time, right from the tip.
Lamont Butler, Darrion Trammell, Jaedon LeDee, Micah Parrish and Elijah Saunders exited, stage left. When Viejas Arena roars to life for Wednesday’s season opener against UC San Diego, though, Waters only can watch.
When the Aztecs host No. 6 Gonzaga on Nov. 18, he’ll become a fan with a better seat. Ditto that when his team tangles with No. 15 Creighton to open the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas.
Frustrated? Yes, without a doubt.
Waters decided to choose a different and more productive path, however.
“You’ve got to keep on rolling with the punches and the people around you,” said Waters, who likely will be out through at least the rest of the month. “Even going to the UCLA scrimmage, I wasn’t just sitting there thinking about myself and being selfish.
“If I’m a leader on the team, I can’t be low on energy and not helping guys on the court. I’ve got to be a part of the team.”
The on-ramp to the season he had waited for shuffled further down the calendar than Waters expected.
The test became a learning experience.
“Everybody’s got a path, whether it’s what they want or not,” he said. “You learn more about yourself, as well, going through injuries and adversities in general.”
Waters’ foot had been barking for a week as he tried to unmask the culprit. Was it his beloved Kobe shoes? No, he had worn them before without issue. Was he being taped too tight? He asked athletic trainer Sergio Ibarra to loosen it up, but the pain persisted.
One day in practice, he came down after chasing down a rebound and realized something was wrong. Another trip down the court sealed it.
“Me, I’m not going to stop playing just because something hurts,” Waters said. I have to be physically unable to play. I came down again and tried to plant to take off and felt whole foot (go).
“I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m done.’ I came over to Serge and was a little bit emotional because I knew it wasn’t just muscle, it was bone.”
Thoughts swirled about the ill timing with a special season on the horizon.
“All the emotions,” Waters recalled. “Anger. Disappointment. Frustration. Sadness.”
Waters knew the season needed steadying after roster churn forced the team to take the court with a completely reshaped starting lineup.
The former Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year, the Aztecs’ top returning scorer, anticipated being a big part of the glue.
For now, he waits.
“I’ve definitely had to be more patient with myself,” Waters said. “By the time I’m ready to play, I don’t want there to be ‘Reese is injured still’ or ‘He’s just getting used to it.’ If I’m on the court, I want to be judged as if I’ve been playing the whole season.
“I don’t want to be judged as a player that’s just coming back.”
Appreciation has come along for the ride.
“When you’re playing, the stuff like practice, you’re tired,” Waters said. “But now, I’d kill to just get 30 seconds on the court. I’d kill just do one defensive drive or just running from baseline to baseline.
“I’m just learning not to take things for granted because it could be gone real quick. And learning how much I love basketball.”
Waters will be critical to what the Aztecs do or don’t do in March.
He provides a dependable scoring option, but also a voice to follow for all the new faces. He knew that all too well. Probably too well.
“Coming into this season, I was so tense and put a lot of pressure on myself for the year,” Waters said. “More because (of) my expectations in myself. So this humbled me in a way.
“You’re going to be able to play again, but have a clearer mind and being more easy on myself instead of just pounding myself into the ground.”
Waters sees the half-full glass.
“I get to watch BJ (Davis). I get to watch Taj (DeGourville) and all the young guys, Pharaoh (Compton),” he said. “I get them to grow even more with me not out there. There’s opportunities for everybody, so watching them step up.”
Each question offers a glimpse into his mental mettle.
Those 42 consecutive free throws he made last season?
“I plan not to miss,” Waters said. “Obviously, you can’t be perfect. But I aim for perfection, knowing I’m not going to reach it. Every shot I shoot, I think it’s going in, whether it’s a half-court heave or a layup.”
Feel sorry for himself?
There’s no time for that. The clock’s ticking.
