THE SACRAMENTO KINGS, 2019’s BIGGEST SURPRISE?
Welcome back to Slept On. Here, the kid who fought for every loose ball on the asphalt court gets his moment. This is where the overshadowed and the forgotten get their moments. This is where the NBA’s publicized warriors aren’t just from Golden State. Welcome back. We missed you.
None of the NBA’s active teams truly have embraced the term “rollercoaster” like the Sacramento Kings. In the last 20 seasons, the Kings have seven playoff appearances and have hosted a number of high-level players who couldn’t make the Kings a proper team, such as DeMarcus Cousins and Isaiah Thomas.
Now, the Kings are a young squad chalked full of undeveloped talent and slow starts. Their strong young core is comprised of players who’ve taken some time to break out of their shells and contribute. This puts the Kings in a weird situation. They’re an inconsistent, playoff-potential startup team with the physical assets of a future dynasty but the coaching and inexperience of a lottery pick squad. Although these slow-developing young ballers like Willie Cauley-Stein, De’Aaron Fox, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Justin Jackson have been inconsistent, one player has shown that his slow start in the NBA was only a taste of his full potential – Buddy Hield.
FROM SOONERS TO SACRAMENTO
The game has changed in terms of not only when college players play, but how they play as well. In an age of one-and-done players, having a player who played four years of college basketball is a rarity. However, as with Hield, it can reap long term benefits.
Hield was one of the most dangerous college players in the draft, averaging 25 PPG at University of Oklahoma as a senior and leading his team to a Final Four appearance with the assistance of Isaiah Cousins. He came in as a hot prospect in the 2016 NBA Draft because of his development as a shooter and physical player, leading him to be picked with the sixth by the New Orleans Pelicans.
Unfortunately, Hield’s stop in New Orleans lasted as long as a New Orleans beignet (because they’re fantastic). He was packaged as part of the blockbuster DeMarcus Cousins deal and sent to the Sacramento Kings. Hield has played on the Kings for two seasons and is making a case for an All-Star nod on a surprisingly developed Kings roster.
HOW DOES HE GET IT DONE
When talking about Buddy Hield, it’s impossible to not mention his shooting in some form. Hield is a bad man from three, knocking down almost 46% this year. Add that with his 173 made three-pointers this season, and Hield’s shooting resume puts him in the fourth spot among three-point shooters this season, behind only Davis Bertans, Seth Curry, and Joe Harris. However, we know in the modern game, making threes is only a portion of the job.
Hield’s best quality comes in the form of his versatility on shots. He can easily make three-pointers in uncomfortable situations like double-teams and game-winners off one foot (still insane). Hield functions as a size threat as well, so switching on him with hopes of him slipping up with his handle and going to the basket isn’t wise either. If you step up and Hield wants a three, he’s getting that too. His creative shot-creating has given him another outlet, probably explaining why he has a Kings-high 20.1 PPG so far this season.
His masterful shot-creating and making have made him a threat every time the ball touches his hand. I think he’s Slept On because of the Kings reputation. When you think of the Kings, De’Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley Jr. are the names which have dominated the market as of late. Although both of these young players have infinite potential and are almost certainly future All -tars, their hype has drowned consistent players like Hield, Willie Cauley-Stein, and Nemanja Bjelica out of the loop.
Hield is a
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