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A four year starter, Buddy Hield developed into a special player under the direction of Lon Kruger. Over time, the Bahamas native extended the range of his jump shot. That jump shot grabbed enough attention to land Hield as the Player of the Year during his senior campaign. However, the biggest question remaining centers around the ceiling of the former Oklahoma Sooner star guard.
A Case For Inclusion In The Top Five
As the prominent style of the NBA shifts toward jump shooter, a premium has been placed on players with seemingly unlimited range. While others lag behind, those franchises should be looking to make up some ground in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Labeled as the most dynamic shooter on the draft board by ESPN, Hield continues to raise a few eyebrows. Connecting on 45.7% of his attempts from behind the arc as a senior, the college star drew a majority of the defensive attention. The only question that remains is: will it translate to the NBA?
Of course not all talent seamlessly transitions from the D-I level of college basketball to the next tier. Just ask players like the physical Tyler Hansbrough or the sharp shooting Jimmer Fredette. On the other hand, some collegiate talents finds themselves in specific role such as J.J. Redick, the leagues second best three point shooter -- by percentage -- during the 2015-16 season.
Don't, even for a second, think Hield falls into the same role as a player like J.J. Redick.
Sure, Hield has the ability to catch and shoot like Redick when finding a spot around the arc. But, he also possesses the ability to create for himself by improvising when the opportunity arises. Combine those aspects with his work ethic and mental fortitude and it becomes easy to see why Hield remains such an intriguing prospect.
Yet, realizing Hield has a 6-9 wingspan to help defend wing players puts the icing on the cake.
Conclusion
The idea of Hield becoming the next Steph Curry seems far fetched considering the reigning MVP's ability to be creative with the ball at a level few reach. A realistic comparison may be the Portland Trailblazers C.J. McCollum. Regardless, Hield is one player not to pass on!