After an absolutely spectacular second round of the NCAA Tournament, Buddy Hield is emerging as a potential fit for the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Philadelphia 76ers currently have an injured front court, as Jahlil Okafor will miss the rest of the season, and Joel Embiid is still nursing lingering injuries.
Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield will enter the NBA Draft in June, and he’s making his stock sky-rocket thanks to a strong performance in the NCAA Tournament.
Actually, calling Hield’s performance “strong” may actually be a bit of an insult.
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He’s been unconscious, and his latest efforts against VCU, in front of the Oklahoma City crowd, showed the type of player he can be. Hield entered the second half after only scoring seven points in the first, but the 22-year-old shooting guard went on an absolute frenzy, scoring 29 points in the second half. Hield knocked down 9/12 of his shots in the second half, including five 3s.
He was on fire, and he rose to the occasion, lifting the Sooners to victory. Hield is proof that staying in school for all four years isn’t a bad thing. He significant upped his game in his final season, which has surely helped his draft stock tremendously.
What happens during the rest of the tournament will surely be exciting, but it’s also a bit inconsequential for NBA fans. The Draft is in June, and that’s really the thing fans of teams that are out of the playoffs are looking forward to.
Hield will certainly find himself being a top pick in June’s draft. But would he make sense for the Sixers?
Well, it depends on a lot of things. From an ability standpoint, Hield would make sense.
First and foremost, Hield can absolutely shoot the lights out of a gym. His range is insane, and he has the ability to score from anywhere on the floor. He can create his own shot, which is something the Sixers have been lacking. During his time at OU, specifically his senior season, Hield displayed NBA range when shooting the basketball.
From an excitement standpoint, there’s absolutely no question Hield would add some energy to the Wells Fargo Center. He’s a frenetic scorer who thrives on the energy from a crowd.
Hield isn’t just a catch-and-shoot guard, either. The 6-4 SG has the ability to use his athleticism and ball-handling ability to maneuver his way out of traffic, if need be.
Hield has evolved as a player, demonstrating his ability to be coached up, which is an invaluable trait for an NBA player.
Creighton head coach Greg McDermott shared his opinion on the new Hield after Oklahoma downed Creighton in Dec.
“It’s demoralizing,” McDermott said, according to Cliff Brunt of the Associated Press. “You know what he’s capable of, and he certainly showed that late against some challenged shots. Last year, he was a shooter. This year, he’s a basketball player. There’s so much more to his game. He’s going to be wearing an NBA uniform next year.”
Hield went off for 33 points in that game.
McDermott isn’t the only one taking notice of #24’s transformation, as NBADraft.net also praised Hield’s improvement.
"“In reality, this is a player who has clearly worked very hard at not just what he does well, but his flaws, and as a result, he’s become a very complete player, that’s hard to nitpick outside of some physical differences between the size of NCAA players and those in the NBA”"
The talented scorer has a type of aura around him that would help expedite the process in Philly. He’s a likable guy and he has a marketable personality.
So Hield is a great, electric player with a lot of upside. But would the Sixers actually draft him come June?
Let’s face it, if the Sixers are fortunate enough to land the top pick, there’s no chance they pick Hield. Ditto for the second pick.
But let’s say, for argument’s sake, that the Sixers get the short end in the lottery once again, having the unpleasant pleasantry of selecting third-overall. Or even more interesting, what if the Sixers wind up getting the fourth overall pick, with the Lakers pick end up being the fifth-overall?
One would assume the top two picks, LSU’s Ben Simmons and Duke’s Brandon Ingram, will be off the board at that point, which would leave Philly in somewhat of a pickle.
However, an unlucky draft scenario would likely wind up with Hield going to Philadelphia, as our own Jaylen Young touched upon.
"“Be Philadelphia 76ers General Manager Sam Hinkie for a moment, and you would seriously consider drafting Hield with the Lakers top three protected pick the team has acquired. In a best case scenario where the 76ers are able to draft at picks one and four, I would draft Brandon Ingram of Duke with the first pick and Hield with the fourth pick.”"
Hield may not be an immediate star, but he’s proven he can develop and refine his game. His upside is incredible, too. Multiple outlets, including NBA Draft Net, say Hield’s ceiling can be James Harden. Both players excel at creating instant offense, and they have similar frames — Hield is listed as 6-4, 215. Harden is 6-5, 220 — as well.
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If it takes a few years for him to even come close to that company, than so be it. Despite the improvements the Sixers have made and the talent — Embiid, Dario Saric — the team will have next year, this is still a team in rebuild mode. Philadelphia won’t be competing for a playoff spot in the near future.
Should Hield wind up in Philadelphia, it may be a good thing for both parties. He could have the opportunity to develop his game some more while the team rebuilds, opposed to being drafted by a team like Toronto where he may be lost in the shuffle.
Drafting Buddy Hield with the first-overall pick would receive backlash. But picking Hield with the fourth or fifth pick would be ingenious. Philadelphia would love Hield.