Buddy Hield, Senior, Oklahoma, Guard, 6’4, 214
(2014-15, 32.4 mpg) 17.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.3 spg, 1.9 tpg
41.2 FG%, 82.3 FT%, 35.9 3FG%, 54.5 TS%, 50.5 eFG%
28.1 USG%, 5.6 OREB%, 12.1 DREB%, 9.0 TRB%, 13.2 AST%, 10.8 TOV%
DOB: 12/17/1993 (21) Hometown: Freeport, Bahamas
2015 Third Team AP All-American
2015 Big 12 Player of the Year
2015 First Team Academic All-Big 12
The Watch List is not meant to replace full scouting reports and is only meant as a guide for who and what to watch for this upcoming season
More from Hoops Habit
- The 5 most dominant NBA players who never won a championship
- 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
- Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
- Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
- Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
Buddy Hield’s development has been a pleasure to watch these past three seasons, leading him to being named the Big 12’s best player last year. Now heading into his senior year, Hield will look to build further on his strengths, while continuing his growth as a player. At 6’4 and a solid 215 pounds, Hield has worked hard on developing his body since he got to Oklahoma. His long arms make him look somewhat wiry, but he has gotten stronger. Hield is a confident shooter, and he has developed the shooting stroke to go with it. He has a quick, high release, and range close to the NBA three-point line. Hield is a better shooter off the catch, though he can hit both mid- and long-range shots off the dribble. He’s an average ballhandler, though he lacks the skill and burst to get by defenders one-on-one often. Hield has a tendency to handle the ball side-to-side, instead of looking to attack the basket. He does use his dribble well to clear space for his jumper, including a nice crossover. Hield does show good acceleration with the ball in the open floor, often going aggressively to the basket, though as in the halfcourt, he can have some trouble finishing at the rim. Defensively, Hield’s long arms allow him to disrupt passing lanes and shooters, and while he doesn’t do it consistently, he can move well laterally. Hield makes good reads off the ball, getting into position to help, or at least poke at the ball, quickly. He rebounds very well for his size, and though he isn’t going to battle with much bigger players, he has a knack for always being close to the missed shot when it comes down, allowing him to snatch it and start in transition.
What he needs to show this season: Hield’s jumper has developed well over the past few years, but his shot selection can be spotty, and he has a tendency to force jumpers when being closely guarded, even coming off of screens. Speaking of, while Hield shows some ability to hit open spots quickly when looking for the ball, he does need to work on moving without the ball, using screens and multiple moves to shake his man. Hield took 52 percent of his shots last year from three-point range, and a good number were closely guarded. With defenders playing him tight on the perimeter, Hield needs to work on his footwork and ballhandling to allow him to get by defenders more easily. As I mentioned, on defense, Hield has the ability to guard the ball well, but he can be inconsistent with playing tough defense, including having a good stance and lateral movement. Also, he has a tendency to wander when he is off the ball, cheating way too much towards helping, and often losing sight of his man completely. Sometimes, it pays off with a steal, but good ball movement usually ends up with an opponent wide open because Hield can be out of position.
Where he fits at the next level: There is a lot to like about how Hield has developed over the past three years, especially with his perimeter shooting. Though 6’4 can be a bit on the small side for an NBA shooting guard, he knows how to clear space for his shot, and an almost 6’9 wingspan should allow him to defend taller players. If Hield is able to work on some of the issues above, while polishing what he does well, he could be a rotation player at the next level, but even with his existing skill set, you get the idea that he still has a good deal of unfulfilled potential which is there for a pro coach to get out of him.
Follow me on Twitter – @NBADraftBlog