Buddy Hield has been widely considered as one of the most scrutinized draft prospects in the last few years.
Some analysts and scouts feel that he’ll blossom into a star at the next level, while others aren’t as sold on the former Oklahoma Sooner guard’s ability to thrive in the pros.
With the NBA draft less than a month away, the 22-year-old’s game has been under a microscope, as teams try to find comfort in their decisions to pursue or avoid the 6’4″ wingman on draft night. Regardless, he’s projected to be a top six pick in this year’s draft.
He’s drawn many comparisons during the interview process, the most notable to the first ever unanimous league MVP Stephen Curry. However, on the other end of the spectrum, he’s also drawn comparisons to players like J.J. Reddick and Jimmer Fredette, elite college scorers who struggled to find consistent roles in the league, particularly Fredette.
Despite all of the questions surrounding Hield and his potential, he said he’s taking it all in stride and looks to make the most of his opportunity, regardless of which team he ends up with.
“The process has just been crazy, that’s the only way that I can describe it,” Hield said in an interview with NBATV’s Kristen Ledlow. “I’m in different time zones, missing out on hours of sleep, but it’s something that I’ll have to get used to, because it’s what the NBA life is all about.
“It’s fun, you just have to embrace it everyday. I’ve learned that you have to stay humble and mature about every situation and just know that a lot of eyes are on you, so you have to know how to handle yourself. At the next level, I’m just going to be me. I’m just going to approach everyday and attack it.”
Hield could have left Oklahoma after his junior season as a potential first-round pick, but he returned to school for his senior season. It turned out to be a wise decision, as he had a career year, averaging 25.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 50.1 percent overall and 45.7 percent from three-point range.
The 2016 NBA Draft will be held on June 23, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. It will be televised nationally by ESPN.
