nbadraft.net has Buddy Hield going 8th Overall

[SoonerJK12]

he can't guard the 3 in the NBA he is and undersized 2 in the nba ..

LeBron Durant paul George are 3's in the nba ..

Not many people can guard those guys...

 

[opsooner]

That's a little silly (on their part). He made a huge leap mere weeks ago; who's to say he can't make another?

Agree and he is also a proven player and person. What they feel they lose in potential skill improvements (and I also don't think much) they gain in work ethic and reliability.

 

[McJacknife]

Not many people can guard those guys...

Agree - but 6'4" is still on the small side for a 2 in the NBA, so even in the smallest of small-ball lineups, I can't see Buddy at the 3


But its a moo point anyway, he's now firmly in line for a big check, and a nice shot at a long career.

 

[Smash Williams]

Here's a hodgepodge of notable NBA SGs (several of whom play significant minutes at SF)--some who can defend, some who can't--and their draft measurements...

Klay Thompson
wingspan: 6'9"
standing reach: 8'7.5"

Danny Green
wingspan: 6'10"
standing reach: 8'7"

J.J. Redick
wingspan: 6'3.25"
standing reach: 8'1.5"

James Harden
wingspan: 6'10.75"
standing reach: 8'7.5"

Tony Allen
wingspan: 6'9"
standing reach: 8'6"

Wes Matthews
wingspan: 6'8.25"

Dion Waiters
wingspan: 6'7.25"
standing reach: 8'2"

Victor Oladipo
wingspan: 6'9.25"
standing reach: 8'4.5"

Kyle Korver
wingspan: 6'9.5"
standing reach: 8'6.5"

Terrence Ross
wingspan: 6'7.25"
standing reach: 8'4.5"

DeMar DeRozan
wingspan: 6'9"
standing reach: 8'6.5"

I don't know Buddy's standing reach, but his wingspan was measured as 6'8.5" last summer. That's about average for an NBA SG. Buddy doesn't have ideal size for an NBA SG, but he's not severely undersized either.

There was a Zach Lowe article several months ago where he talked about teams figuring out that they could defend stretch 4s--specifically the ones with legit big man size who shoot well but don't do much else offensively--by simply putting smaller, athletic wing players on them, because most of those stretch 4s lacked the offensive skillset to exploit the size mismatch. Most NBA wings are similar, in that they don't have the all-around offensive skill set to exploit slightly smaller players.

You wouldn't want Buddy guarding bigger, offensively explosive wings like LeBron or KD, but the vast majority of NBA wings don't have the offensive skill set to kill a defender with average SG size. Most of the time, what really matters as a defender is following the rules of a given defensive scheme, knowing where you're supposed to be, and making the proper rotation.

With Buddy's combination of length and athleticism, his size will rarely be an issue on the defensive end.

On the offensive end, his handle has improved so much--not enough that you would want him to be a primary ballhandler in the NBA--that he'll be a capable secondary ballhandler. Lot of guys in the league can catch and shoot, but not as many have the handle to do anything else off the dribble to counteract aggressive closeouts.

 

[BoulderSooner]

good stuff and I agree with all of that and I agree that hield can become a good nba rotation player ...

but if gm's are going to miss they miss with proto type size guys ..

 

[BCSooners]

Here's a hodgepodge of notable NBA SGs (several of whom play significant minutes at SF)--some who can defend, some who can't--and their draft measurements...

Klay Thompson
wingspan: 6'9"
standing reach: 8'7.5"

Danny Green
wingspan: 6'10"
standing reach: 8'7"

J.J. Redick
wingspan: 6'3.25"
standing reach: 8'1.5"

James Harden
wingspan: 6'10.75"
standing reach: 8'7.5"

Tony Allen
wingspan: 6'9"
standing reach: 8'6"

Wes Matthews
wingspan: 6'8.25"

Dion Waiters
wingspan: 6'7.25"
standing reach: 8'2"

Victor Oladipo
wingspan: 6'9.25"
standing reach: 8'4.5"

Kyle Korver
wingspan: 6'9.5"
standing reach: 8'6.5"

Terrence Ross
wingspan: 6'7.25"
standing reach: 8'4.5"

DeMar DeRozan
wingspan: 6'9"
standing reach: 8'6.5"

I don't know Buddy's standing reach, but his wingspan was measured as 6'8.5" last summer. That's about average for an NBA SG. Buddy doesn't have ideal size for an NBA SG, but he's not severely undersized either.

There was a Zach Lowe article several months ago where he talked about teams figuring out that they could defend stretch 4s--specifically the ones with legit big man size who shoot well but don't do much else offensively--by simply putting smaller, athletic wing players on them, because most of those stretch 4s lacked the offensive skillset to exploit the size mismatch. Most NBA wings are similar, in that they don't have the all-around offensive skill set to exploit slightly smaller players.

You wouldn't want Buddy guarding bigger, offensively explosive wings like LeBron or KD, but the vast majority of NBA wings don't have the offensive skill set to kill a defender with average SG size. Most of the time, what really matters as a defender is following the rules of a given defensive scheme, knowing where you're supposed to be, and making the proper rotation.

With Buddy's combination of length and athleticism, his size will rarely be an issue on the defensive end.

On the offensive end, his handle has improved so much--not enough that you would want him to be a primary ballhandler in the NBA--that he'll be a capable secondary ballhandler. Lot of guys in the league can catch and shoot, but not as many have the handle to do anything else off the dribble to counteract aggressive closeouts.

Great post.

 

[campbest]

I think Buddy will make it in the NBA, as long as he shoots the ball at a high % from the arc. That's his ticket.

The Meeks comparisons are very fair, but remember, Meeks was drafted 41st overall.

 

[sperry]

Waiters isn't a bad comparison, as they are similar in size and athleticism. Dion has better handles, but Buddy is far and away the better shooter. Waiters was probably drafted about 10 spots too high, which puts Buddy right in the late lottery conversation.

 

[campbest]

Waiters isn't a bad comparison, as they are similar in size and athleticism. Dion has better handles, but Buddy is far and away the better shooter. Waiters was probably drafted about 10 spots too high, which puts Buddy right in the late lottery conversation.

Dion Waiters. Woof.

 

[jaymOU]

Is Buddy better than Dion Waters? Is he better than Andre Robertson or Cameron Payne (maybe a different position), is he better than Kyle Singler? (again, maybe a different position), but in my opinion, Buddy has a future in the NBA. Maybe it's off the bench, but he's shown he can play at that level.

I'd love to see him provide some spark to the Thunder's second unit.

 

[sperry]

Dion Waiters. Woof.

Waiters problem is that he can't shoot, but he's still going to be a long time NBA rotation player.

 

[campbest]

Is Buddy better than Dion Waters? Is he better than Andre Robertson or Cameron Payne (maybe a different position), is he better than Kyle Singler? (again, maybe a different position), but in my opinion, Buddy has a future in the NBA. Maybe it's off the bench, but he's shown he can play at that level.

I'd love to see him provide some spark to the Thunder's second unit.

To stick in the NBA, you have to be really really good at one thing...fit a specific role (which isn't consistent from team to team). Buddy's ticket has to be shooting.

 

[BoulderSooner]

Waiters isn't a bad comparison, as they are similar in size and athleticism. Dion has better handles, but Buddy is far and away the better shooter. Waiters was probably drafted about 10 spots too high, which puts Buddy right in the late lottery conversation.

waiters is also a plus plus athlete ...

 

[TheGimper]

To stick in the NBA, you have to be really really good at one thing...fit a specific role (which isn't consistent from team to team). Buddy's ticket has to be shooting.

Or you can be Kyle Singler, good at not one thing and somehow getting DNPs from a team that just signed you to a five year deal.

 

[Ouhoops23]

Buddy definitely has an NBA future and should be a rotation player with the right team