2016 NBA Draft Radar: Should Oklahoma Sooners Guard Buddy Hield be a Lottery Pick ?
There is no denying that Oklahoma Sooners’ shooting guard Buddy Hield is individually playing the best basketball in the nation.
Let’s put aside the epic season that the Oklahoma Sooners are having right now at 12-1, and the fact that even with Oklahoma taking a loss to the Kansas Jayhawks in Lawrence, you left the game feeling that Oklahoma was still the better team.
The season that Buddy Hield is having averaging 26.3 points and 5.5 rebounds, and the 46-point performance he had against KU, you have to think his draft stock has skyrocketed with NBA Scouts.
Before the season when you looked at mock drafts Buddy Hield was seen as a late first-round selection going between picks No. 20 to No.30 by both NBAdraft.net and DraftExpress.
Oklahoma Sooners
Since then, NBADraft.net has at least moved Hield into the Top 10 of their mock draft making him a potential lottery pick, while DraftExpress still has Hield in the 20’s at No.22.
NBAdraftroom.com surprisingly has Hield going with the 20th pick in their mock draft despite the fact he is having such a great season and has shown improvement in his all-around game.
It is amazing that Buddy Hield is not a lottery pick across the board in every and all mock drafts by now.
He can put the ball on the floor, shoot off screens, get to the rim and finish, and also draw fouls when he gets in the paint off penetration.
When you look at the NBA and teams that could finish in the NBA Lottery that need a shooting guard to complete their backcourt, Buddy Hield has to be on the top of the list.
You don’t think a team like the Milwaukee Bucks, who are still in need of a three-point shooter, would not want to take a 50.2% field goal shooter and 50% shooter from three-point land.
How about the Sacramento Kings who have to be tired of the Ben McClemore experiment at this point, and also need to get some shooters for their club. Hield would be a nice fit for their backcourt to go along with Rajon Rondo.
Even the Portland Trail Blazers who have a dynamic point guard in Damian Lillard, would benefit from picking up a shooting guard like Buddy Hield. Hield would give Portland one of the best backcourts in the NBA.
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There is no way at this point after looking at the body of work that Buddy Hield has put together this season that he is not a lottery pick.
Plus, when you look at the landscape of the NBA, and take into account that having a dynamic backcourt like the Washington Wizards, Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, and Toronto Raptors could instantly make you competitive, getting a player like Buddy Hield to be a building block to complete your backcourt, or start to piece together your backcourt, would be a good move.
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Buddy Hield has easily played himself into a Top 10 NBA lottery pick and there will be teams in those slots that will need his services.
Anyone that does not have Buddy Hield in their Top 10 as of right now for their mock draft is totally coming to the party late.