Buddy Hield Impresses In Pre-Draft Workout With Boston

Buddy Hield was on fire in his workout with the Celtics

Apparently, former Oklahoma shooting guard Buddy Hield is hell-bent on proving to the Boston Celtics that he, rather than Kentucky shooting guard Jamal Murray or Croatian prospect Dragan Bender, is worthy of being selected with the third pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.

After Murray wowed the Celtics brass by knocking down 79 of the 100 three-pointers in his pre-draft workout, Hield upped the ante to a whole new level on Monday afternoon in his workout with Boston as he hit an astounding 85 of the 100 outside shots that attempted.

The mark sets a brand new unofficial pre-draft workout record for the percentage of three-pointers made in a single showing while punctuating Hield’s standing as the best pure shooter in the draft.

Jamal Murray hit 79 of 100 3’s in Boston last week. Buddy Hield, per source, hit 85 of 100 in front of Celtics brass today in California.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) June 13, 2016

While it appears as though Celtics general manager Danny Ainge has his heart set on shopping the third overall selection until a suitable trade avenue opens up for a franchise-altering player, Hield’s performance could potentially alter his standing on who he should spend the pick on come draft night should it remain in Boston’s control.

The Celtics are blatantly in need of adding outside shooting to their roster having ranked 24th in the NBA in three-point percentage in 2015-16, and Hield could be the solution to this void.

Throughout his four-year career with the Sooners, Hield’s three-point range and accuracy increased exponentially, as he connected on a superb 45.7 percent of his attempts from long-range while hitting 50 percent of his shots from the field while leading Oklahoma to a Final Four appearance in his senior season.

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Hield’s 25.0 points per game showcased his scintillating offensive arsenal, which not only includes potency from deep, but a flawless midrange game and a propensity for attacking the rim with ease. Hield also averaged 5.7 rebounds per game, displaying unquestionable effort on the boards.

However, the drawbacks that Hield presents include his inability to handle the ball in a point guard role and his lack of dynamic court vision. With these skills dwarfed by the one-track mindset that he often displayed in scoring the ball while with the Sooners.

Furthermore, standing 6’5″ with average athleticism, Hield could have trouble finding the amount of space to release his jump shot that he so easily sought out while in college, with longer, more agile opposing defenders shadowing him once he makes the step up to the NBA.

These issues translate to the other side of the ball, as well. Will Hield, a mediocre defender while at Oklahoma, struggle to flank shooting guards and small forwards in the NBA?

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While he certainly displayed a strong work ethic on the defensive side of the ball throughout his college career, Hield’s build could leave him vulnerable to post-ups from larger opposing scorers in the league, and his lack of considerable foot speed could leave him at the mercy of quicker, shiftier guards in addition.