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Buddy Hield – 6’5” Shooting Guard, University of Oklahoma, 22 Years Old
Nobody improved his draft stock this past year as significantly as Buddy Hield did. Once considered a potential late first round pick, Hield is now widely viewed as a surefire top ten pick with a good chance to land in the top five of this year’s draft. He had a tremendous senior season, dominating college basketball with 25.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. Hield was also very efficient, posting shooting splits of .501/.457/.880. Buddy Hield led the Oklahoma Sooners all the way to the Final Four, and he was this year’s recipient of the prestigious John R. Wooden Award, presented to the best player in all of college basketball. Chavano Rainier Hield’s (yes that’s his real name) ascendance from an impoverished boy playing on the blacktops of the Bahamas to one of basketball’s most exciting talents has been remarkable to follow, and his journey will undoubtedly continue as he begins his career in the NBA.
Strengths
Buddy Hield is an elite scorer and leader, both of which were on full display this past season at Oklahoma. His four years of experience should be a tremendous asset during his first few years in the NBA. He has an NBA-ready skill set and should be able to contribute right away to whichever team he is drafted by. Most of Hield’s points will come from the perimeter, so he figures to be the perfect type of player to play in the modern NBA, where three point shooting is as important as it has ever been. Hield shoots from downtown with incredible volume and accuracy, making 4.0 threes per game at a 46% clip during his senior season. To go along with a gifted ability to score the basketball, Buddy Hield seems to have that competitive drive to him. He is a high character young man with an excellent work ethic, which will be very appealing to scouts. Hield put on a show for college basketball this past season, and he should do the same for years to come in the NBA.
Weaknesses
There are two main areas where Buddy Hield really needs to improve his game if he wants to become an all-around player at the professional level. First off, while Hield is fantastic at creating shots for himself, he isn’t too great at creating shots for his teammates. He only averaged two assists per game last year, and he has one of the worst assist/turnover ratios for all shooting guard prospects. Plenty of natural scorers have improved their assists totals each year as their basketball IQ improves and they become more familiar with their teammates, but that certainly isn’t a part of Hield’s game quite yet. Think of Kevin Durant, whose assist totals the past few seasons have more than doubled from his rookie season. Also, Buddy Hield isn’t a game changer on the defensive end. In his first few years at Oklahoma, his defense was much more of an issue than it was his senior year. He’s made significant strides on that end of the floor over the past year, but he still isn’t one of the better defensive guard prospects. Neither of these “weaknesses” should impact Buddy Hield’s ability to become a star in the NBA. It’s just a matter of whether he can take the leap from star to superstar.
NBA Potential
If Buddy Hield continues to improve his defense, passing ability, and overall basketball IQ, then the sky is the limit for him. He can be the best player in this draft class if everything works out perfectly. On the other hand, if the NBA proves to be too strong and quick for Hield’s game to translate from the collegiate level, then he will struggle to get shots off from anywhere inside the arc. At the very least, Hield should be a lights out shooter and scorer to bring off the bench in the NBA.
NBA Player Comparison
As a pure scorer, Buddy Hield can be compared to a much less erratic and more efficient J.R. Smith, minus the highlight dunks around the rim. Buddy Hield should look to improve his overall game similar to how Klay Thompson did in his first few seasons in the NBA. Once considered a one-dimensional player, Thompson has evolved into a two-way player and a much better passer.
Best NBA Fit
A potential fit that looks like a match made in heaven could be Buddy Hield going to the Boston Celtics third overall. The Celtics – who are already one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference – should be looking for an NBA-ready player who can help them challenge the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors the next few years. Nobody is better prepared to contribute at a high level right away than Buddy Hield is. Hield can also fit the mold as Boston’s next superstar. The Celtics marketing campaign revolved around the idea that “we’re one superstar,” but in reality, a potential superstar and scorer is exactly what this team needs. From Hield’s perspective, Boston is the ideal fit. He goes to a first class, high character organization with a coach in Brad Stevens who will be able to improve his two weaknesses – passing and defense – better than most other coaches can.
Look for Buddy Hield to fall anywhere from 3-10 on draft day, and be sure to check out our complete coverage of the 2016 NBA Draft!
