2016 NBA Draft: Buddy Hield Has Perfect Timing

Traditionally, 2016 NBA Draft prospect Buddy Hield would be on the lower end of the Top 30 prospects. Fortunately for Hield, he has perfect timing.

If there’s one thing that old school and modern day fans of the NBA can agree upon, it’s that the game isn’t played the way it used to be. The Association has progressively evolved—or devolved, depending on who you ask—into the perimeter-oriented game that it is today.

These radical changes have thus greatly impacted and altered the way NBA Draft prospects like Buddy Hield are evaluated.

Traditionally speaking, 3-point specialists have been viewed as just that: specialists. They clearly had their place in previous eras, but even the greatest of shooters were relegated to the status of a role player if they couldn’t provide star-caliber production in other areas.

Times are changing.

With teams fully embracing the value of the 3-point field goal, sharpshooters can be more than just assets; they can be stars. They touch the ball more than ever before, and influence games as significantly as most all-around players.

Thus, Hield has done more than just emerge as the best player in college basketball in 2015-16; he’s entered the NBA Draft discussion at the absolute perfect time.

Current NBA Draft Stock

Buddy Hield is the best shooter in college basketball, and there isn’t much debate about that. He’s converted 146 3-point field goals in 36 games played, which is good for an absolutely obscene average of 4.1 per game.

Hield has shot at said unfathomable volume while still managing to convert 46.5 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc.

For perspective, Stephen Curry maxed out at an average of 4.6 3-point field goals made on 43.9 percent shooting in college. Curry was a point guard, but Hield creates his own offense, a la Curry, and quite often pulls up to shoot off the bounce.

This isn’t to say that Hield is the next Curry, but he’s clearly a great enough shooter and scorer to warrant high praise.

That’s all the proof you need.

While that may not be enough to convince his critics of his NBA upside, a vast majority of outlets have him ranked as a Top 10 prospect. DraftExpress has Hield at No. 9, Chad Ford of ESPN has the senior slotted at No. 8, and NBADraft.net has him at No. 5.

Entering March Madness, Hield was No. 7 on my board. Averaging 29.3 points in NCAA Tournament games leading up to the Final Four can only help.

Increased Emphasis on 3-Point Shooting

In 2010-11, merely five seasons ago, a grand total of two teams eclipsed 2,000 3-point field goal attempts. In 2015-16, seven teams have already surpassed 2,000 3-point field goal attempts, and they’ve done so with every squad in the NBA having at least eight games remaining on the regular season schedule.

Simply put, the 3-point shot is valued more in the modern NBA than ever before—and that’s wonderful news for Buddy Hield.

Hield is a masterful 3-point shooter, as has been previously established. He’s lethal when shooting off the bounce, which is a skill that most sharpshooters fail to develop, and is excellent at moving without the ball in his hands and coming off of screens.

The results have been tremendous.

That combination of skills is tailor made for the modern NBA.

Players who can shoot, but lack the ability to put the ball on the floor or defend their position will continue to be role players. Those who have at least one other skill—defense, ball-handling, or court vision—will prosper in ways previously unseen by 3-point specialists.

The success of the stars of the modern era is evidence enough.

Shooting For Stardom

It seems laughable now, but for quite some time, the 3-point field goal was viewed as a gimmick shot. Players rarely embraced it during the 1980s, only began to come around in the 1990s, and seemingly first realized how valuable it could be in the 2000s.

There are clearly exceptions to the rule, but generally speaking, great shooters were not viewed as great players—until now.

In the modern NBA, that rule of thumb is being cut off at the palm. Sharpshooters are receiving accolades and praise that was generally reserved for legends such as Ray Allen and Reggie Miller, who represented a limited group who either scored at elite levels or lead championship contenders.

Over the past two seasons, shooters have redefined stardom.

In 2014-15, accolades were in abundance for shooters as Stephen Curry won MVP, Klay Thompson was named to the All-NBA Third Team, and Kyle Korver made the All-Star Game. That summer, Wesley Matthews and Khris Middleton both received $70 million contracts, and Danny Green was handed $40 million.

Just like that, sharpshooters became some of the highest paid and most honored players in the world.

Working with the knowledge that shooters are developing into such highly paid and respected commodities, Hield has star potential. He’s 22 years old, but he’s also a player who has evolved from a productive collegiate player into a genuine centerpiece for a national contender.

Whether or not he will become as a star has yet to be seen.

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What’s undeniable is that, if ever there were a chance for Hield to achieve stardom, he’s found the perfect time to try.