The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

BUDDY Hield said he was faced with a feeling of uncertainty when he got the news that he was traded so early into his NBA career, but the reception he received from fans at the Sacramento International Airport brought what he called “a sense of peace.”

Scores of Kings fans greeted Hield with “Buddy” chants when he arrived at his new NBA home on Tuesday.

“It feels great. Everybody embracing me like this, I feel like I want to be here now. I didn’t know what to expect when I got off the plane, but to see all of these fans cheering my name it gives me a sense of peace and I’m ready to go and put on for Sacramento,” he said to a group of reporters upon arrival in Sacramento.

The former New Orleans Pelican was one of the principals in a trade, packaged along with Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, a future  2017 first-round and second-round pick to Sacramento in exchange for All-Star centre DeMarcus Cousins and Omri Casspi.

“I was kind of in shock. There was uncertainty, I didn’t know what to expect, but I know God doesn’t make mistakes so I’m here for a reason,” he said. “I’m ready to take Sacramento to higher heights. They traded for me, they traded a big piece of their team for me so I know that I have to come and put on and give Sacramento my all. I know it’s not easy but I’m going to put a lot in, be a hard worker and try to get everybody together to move forward toward championships.”

Hield is averaging 8.6 points, 1.4 assist and 2.9 rebounds during the 57-game stretch for the Pelicans this season. He’s shooting 39.2 per cent from the field overall but is hitting from three at a decent rate - 37 per cent.

Hield’s productive month of December was recognised by the NBA when he was named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month after he led the conference’s rookies in scoring (10.6 points), three-point field goal percentage (48 per cent) and three-pointers made (33).

He is currently ranked fourth among rookies in scoring. Hield will be expected to be a major component of a rebuilding young core for the Kings which will include 2015 lottery pick Willie Cauley-Stein, last year’s first round draft pick Skal Labissiere and the future picks in 2017.

“They see a vision in me, but I’m always going to be Buddy out there. That’s got me here. I’ve worked hard since I was a little boy and that’s what I’m going to continue to do. I worked hard to get to Oklahoma and I’m going to work my but off to be the player I want to be and be the player I need to become. I’s going to be a tough task night in, night out but I’m built for it,” he said. “Everyone wants to be that guy, be that leader for the team. I’m not shy in the moment, I’m willing to take pressure, but that’s what comes with it when you put that work in and people trust you, you trust yourself and they know what you’re capable of doing. I’m ready for the challenge.”

Hield will make his Kings debut tonight when they host the Denver Nuggets at 10:30pm local time.

Kings head coach Dave Joerger said it would be a quick turnaround for Buddy and the other new additions to the roster as the rebuilding begins in the post-Cousins era.

“We’ll try to get them up to speed on some of what we try to do offensively and defensively and how things might fit together. I’ve watched him [Hield] a little bit. He made a lot of shots in college and he seemed like a very good prospect coming out. I haven’t seen him much this year, I’ve seen him twice, and we just played them last week so I haven’t seen a lot of him a lot professionally.”

The Kings currently have a logjam at the shooting guard spot with seven players listed at the position on the current roster, including Hield, Evans, Galloway, Aaron Afflalo, Ben McLemore, Garrett Temple and Malachi Richardson.

“Right now we have seven shooting guards,” Joeger said when asked about Temple’s health status.“I think we’re okay at shooting guard.”