Is Hield the best young guard since Hollis Price?

[Big Old Booger]

He's not quite as talented as WW, but when you consider athletically and mentally he appears to be even better than WW, IMO.

I'm trying to think of the last great young guard in Norman for comparison sake and the only name I can come up with is Hollis Price. Is Hield that good? I don't think he's quite there but I am remembering the upperclassman Price and not the frosh who started and played very well.

Thoughts?

 

[SoonerBounce13]

I think WW was more talented. Hield is good though.

He can score, rebound, and assist. Very well rounded player. Almost like a smaller evan turner

 

[MI Sooner]

I think WW was a better athlete and player as a freshman, but he benefited from playing with better players, and I pretty sure he played substantially more minutes, too.

I think WW's freshman year was closer to Griffin's freshman year than Hield's. I'll be (pleasantly) surprised if Hield's name pops up on pre-season All American teams next year, and based on his play his freshman year (and probably his recruiting rankings, somewhat) like Warren was.

 

[DenverSooner]

Guys you have to consider: Lavendar, WW, TMG, McKensie, AJ, and Godbold. (those are the only guys I can recall that came in and started or played a lot as freshman.) I think Hield is clearly better than Godbold, AJ and McKensie. McKensie was not very good on defense and was mostly a 3 point shooter. Godbold was really more of a role player. AJ did not have the offensive game that Hield has. Some of that may have been due to injuries but Hield looks better to me. I think it comes down to WW, TMG, Lavendar and Hield. TMG was awfully good but his attitude sucked. WW was pretty good but he had the benefit of playing with Blake Griffin and may not have had the best attitude. I would probably say Hield is better than Lavendar.

 

[cowboysooner]

it is my opinion that our three freshmen guards are the three best combo guards we have signed , save and except perhaps WW, in the last 10 years.

They have all struggled some, which is to be expected. They are freshman. All three are long, lean, strong and have a complete package of skills, e.g. they can all shoot, handle the ball with both hands, jump and run. I like them all. Heild has played the best so far, hornbeack is probably the most polished at this point, but I still say Cousins will end up being the best. Although, I am starting to wonder, the more I see Buddy play. He might end up being better than "good".

Actually I like all the kids Lon has brought in. Mbuye looks talented, Bennett and spangler are going to be good kids from what I see. I like what I read about Elliott, Hamilton and Woodard. I still think we are a year or two away, but if this team wants to turn it around this year, I'll take it.

 

[NickZepp]

He's the best since Willie Warren who is by far the best freshman guard we've had since the 80s.

Willie Warren
14.6 pts, 3.1 asts, 1.1 stls, 2.2 rbs

Tommy Mason Griffin
14.1 pts, 5 asts, 0.9 stls, 2.9 rbs

Drew Lavender
11.3 PPG, 3.9 asts, 1.7 stls, 2.4 rbs,

Buddy Hield
8.9 PPG, 1.8 asts, 1.2 stls, 4.4 rbs

And here's a guy his numbers are most comparable to...
Tony Crocker
8.6 ppg, 1.8 asts, 0.8 stls, 3.7 rbs

Hollis Price
7.2 ppg, 3.5 asts, 1.4 stls, 2.2 rbs

AJ and Godbold didn't put up the minutes or the numbers these guys did so I'm leaving them out.

 

[Capel's Mustache]

He's not quite as talented as WW, but when you consider athletically and mentally he appears to be even better than WW, IMO.

I'm trying to think of the last great young guard in Norman for comparison sake and the only name I can come up with is Hollis Price. Is Hield that good? I don't think he's quite there but I am remembering the upperclassman Price and not the frosh who started and played very well.

Thoughts?

Yes

 

[MsProudSooner]

I would take Buddy over WW any day of the week, stats be damned.

 

[DenverSooner]

He's the best since Willie Warren who is by far the best freshman guard we've had since the 80s.

Willie Warren
14.6 pts, 3.1 asts, 1.1 stls, 2.2 rbs

Tommy Mason Griffin
14.1 pts, 5 asts, 0.9 stls, 2.9 rbs

Drew Lavender
11.3 PPG, 3.9 asts, 1.7 stls, 2.4 rbs,

Buddy Hield
8.9 PPG, 1.8 asts, 1.2 stls, 4.4 rbs

And here's a guy his numbers are most comparable to...
Tony Crocker
8.6 ppg, 1.8 asts, 0.8 stls, 3.7 rbs

Hollis Price
7.2 ppg, 3.5 asts, 1.4 stls, 2.2 rbs

AJ and Godbold didn't put up the minutes or the numbers these guys did so I'm leaving them out.

With those stats how do you dismiss Lavendar and TMG? I am not saying that Hield is not better than either or both of them but I am wondering what makes you say what you say.

 

[TheGimper]

Some of you guys are insane. Willie Warren was the 2nd best player on an Elite 8 team and was a preseason player of the year as a sophomore. I love Buddy, but his freshman campaign won't earn anywhere near those accolades.

 

[NickZepp]

With those stats how do you dismiss Lavendar and TMG? I am not saying that Hield is not better than either or both of them but I am wondering what makes you say what you say.

Defense and rebounding are the main reasons.

Sent from my SGH-T679 using Tapatalk 2

 

[SoonerinNC]

I doubt that Buddy will have as good a first year as Warren but he should improve his numbers through the remainder of the season.

He is likely to have a better 2nd year than Warren.

 

[Big Old Booger]

Some of you guys are insane. Willie Warren was the 2nd best player on an Elite 8 team and was a preseason player of the year as a sophomore. I love Buddy, but his freshman campaign won't earn anywhere near those accolades.

In my OP, I stated Hield isn't as talented as WW, but he's also not a headcase as was WW. That puts him ahead of WW IMO.

You may have a differing opinion, and that is fine.

 

[MsProudSooner]

In my OP, I stated Hield isn't as talented as WW, but he's also not a headcase as was WW. That puts him ahead of WW IMO.

You may have a differing opinion, and that is fine.

+1

 

[pnkranger]

Two things you can't argue:

* Buddy will make the best senior of the bunch besides HP.
* If you were picking a team, the only three you would pick are HP, Crocker, and Hield.

How in the heck did WW only average 2 rebounds? Because Blake was cleaning everything up?

 

[StatGeek]

I don't know if Buddy is the best since Hollis, but he is the easiest to like of the skilled Freshman we have had since Price.

 

[KBaden145]

As his confidence continues to grow, I think Hield will really put up some big numbers as we get further into conference play. I could see him start to put up those quiet 20 point games really good players get and maybe threaten 25 or 30 points. He's is playing a lot of minutes and, right now, only Osby should be getting more looks than Buddy.

 

[TheGimper]

How in the heck did WW only average 2 rebounds? Because Blake was cleaning everything up?

Not only Blake, but Taylor at the 4 and Crocker was a great rebounder at the 3. That was just a fantastic rebounding team.

Also, Kbaden, do you really think Buddy should be getting more looks than Pledger?

 

[SoonerTraveler]

I would take Buddy over WW any day of the week, stats be damned.

If I was a player, I would rather have Buddy on my team.

If I was a coach, I would rather have Buddy on my team.

As a fan, I would rather have Buddy on my team.

 

[KBaden145]

Also, Kbaden, do you really think Buddy should be getting more looks than Pledger?

Right now, yes. We need Osby established in the post and Hield attacking from the wing and the baseline. In time and with success, defenses will double on Osby and collapse on Hield opening up shots for Pledger outside and MBaye, Clark, or Fitz inside. Offense comes from those who generate looks for themselves and others. I think ours needs to go through Osby and Hield,