The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

WHEN NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced Buddy Hield as the sixth overall selection of the 2016 NBA Draft, Hield said he was cognisant of his elevated status in Bahamian basketball and hoped to serve as an inspiration to others chasing “hoop dreams.”

“I know there’s a generation coming behind that’s going to use my story, that’s going to watch what I do and follow the same path. I just hope I can show them a positive influence, show them the right way to go about things and just be someone they can look up to as they plan their future,” he said. “The norm is that we never make it out there. To be one of the few that make it out there, so being one of the few that makes it out there helps me give to the kids and inspire them, like okay, there will be more that will make it out there. I’m just happy for the Bahamas, really. Put them back on the map, and for all my friends and family.”

Last week’s draft featured a record 14 international players selected in the first round, surpassing the previous record of 12 set in 2013.

Hield, along with the 28th overall pick, Skal Labissiere – the former University of Kentucky Wildcat and native of Haiti, shed a particular spotlight on the Caribbean.

“I think the Caribbean has been overlooked because guys don’t really have the resources to get out and guys are less fortunate to make it to the US and get scholarships and for people to come down and see them,” Hield said. “You think about the Bahamas, you think it’s this island full of beaches and chilling on the beach, but there’s a lot of freak athletes down there that can play, and a lot of guys better than me who I feel like didn’t get an opportunity like me, but when I got my opportunity, I took full advantage of it.”

Hield was only the fourth lottery pick (since 1985) in Oklahoma history. He joined Wayman Tisdale (1985, 2nd), Stacey King (1989, 6th) and Blake Griffin (2009, 1st). He is the highest drafted Bahamian player since Mychal Thompson, who was selected 1st overall in the 1978 NBA Draft.

Hield said he hopes to build on the relationship the Thompson family has on the Bahamian basketball community.

“Mychal Thompson, he’s always been a good role model for us and kids back in the Bahamas too. It’s neat because he always comes down, along with Klay. Klay brings some of his NBA friends down there too,” Hield said.

“Our relationship is cool. It’s a great bond, and he wanted me to go to LA. He kept telling me, because he’s down in LA. It didn’t turn out that way but I love Mychal a lot, and I learned a lot from him. I’m just going to keep learning from him to better my skills.”

Other international players drafted last Thursday include No.1 Ben Simmons (Australia), No.4 Dragan Bender (Croatia), No.7 Jamal Murray (Canada), No.9 Jakob Poeltl (Austria), No. 10 Thon Maker (South Sudan/Australia), No.13 Georgios Papagiannis (Greece), No.15 Juan Hernangomez (Spain), No.16 Guerschon Yabusele (France), No.23 Ante Zizic (Croatia), No.24 Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (France), No.26 Furkan Korkmaz (Turkey), No. 27 Pascal Siakam (Cameroon) and No. 28 Labissiere.

There were 100 international players from 37 countries and territories on 2015-16 opening night NBA rosters, marking the second consecutive year that opening night rosters featured at least 100 international players.

For the second consecutive year, all 30 NBA teams featured at least one international player on 2015-16 opening night NBA rosters.

Hield was formally introduced to the New Orleans fan base on Friday and now shifts his focus to the Las Vegas Summer League which begins July 8. Their first game, against an absolutely stacked Los Angeles Lakers squad, is scheduled to start at 9:30pm central and will be televised an ESPN.