The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IF there’s one thing that Bahamian Chavanno “Buddy” Hield admitted that he likes about the style of play of the Golden State Warriors, it’s how they do it “unselfishly.”

The 31-year-old Hield, one of four Bahamians playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA) season this year, made the comments following his second pre-season game as the Warriors won 122-112 over his former team Sacramento Kings.

Coming off the bench, Hield played 19 minutes and scored 22 points, shooting 6-for-7 from behind the three-point line and 8-of-9 from the field. 

It was the Warriors’ second pre-season win. They pulled off a 91-90 nipping of the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, October 5. 

“I think the guys are reactive,” Hield said. “Guys like BP (Brandin Podziemski) spreading the ball around, you got Draymond (Green) unselfishly, I think it’s just trickling down the line and (coach) Steve (Kerr) just preaching that we need to be unselfish everyday and making the right basketball play and the right read. And Steph (Stephen Curry) is going to be Steph out there, so it’s just reacting and reading off him and playing off the guys and learning guys’ tendencies and just trying to play basketball on both ends and be together.”

This is Hield’s fifth team since he was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans with the sixth pick overall in the first round of the 2016 NBA draft out of Oklahoma where he played for the Sooners men’s collegiate basketball team after he left Sir Jack Hayward in Grand Bahama to complete his high school tenure at Sunrise Christian Academy in Wichita, Kansas. 

After playing for one season with the Pelicans, Hield was traded to the Sacramento Kings where he played from 2017-2022. He was then sent to Indiana to play for the Pacers from 2022-2024 before he ended up with the Philadelphia 76ers last season.

During the offseason while he was playing for Team Bahamas in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Spain in July, Hield agreed to a sign-and-trade with the 76ers in s four-year deal with the Warriors to complement the departure of Klay Thompson. 

Although he’s played under different styles every stop he’s made, Hield said there’s nothing like what he’s seen with the Warriors’ “unselfishness,” which has enabled them to win. “I think that once you preach that coming in training camp and playing for others and sacrificing that will trickle down the line and shoot the shot when it’s open and you play for your team-mates, good things come from that.” Hield’s performance on Wednesday was much better than his debut against the Clippers when he played 17 minutes, scoring five points with two rebounds and an assist.

“It feels alright. It’s going to take one at a time, I just have to keep working and use these guys, setting screens and getting into a condition where I have to be running around all day.

“It’s fun. Everyday is a different challenge. I made some, so I will see what I can do. It’;s a good adjustment. But the good thing about basketball is you have another game the next day.”

One of the things he learnt about being in the NBA is that as a player you have to get better every day in order to stay in the league.

“As you play basketball, you want to be as quick as you can. As you get older, you always want to get better,” he pointed out. “That’s the fun part about being in rhiw league, you have to learn to improve yourself each and every day.” 

Kerr said he likes this group of young players he has to work with this year. He noted that the new guys are fitting right into their philosophy and their younger guys are also getting better and better.

“We have a lot of depth,” Kerr said. “You can see we have a lot of guys who can play and they are all doing a pretty good job of putting the work in just focusing on playing hard and getting better.”

Although he came off the bench, Kerr said he was pleased that he was able to show what he brings to the table for the Warriors this year.

“Buddy was smoking tonight,” Kerr said. “He’s always felt comfortable playing this style. When he played here in Sacramento with (coach) Luke Walton, they were running the same style that we run. 

“The stuff we are putting in with Terry, the Portland stuff, you saw some of that in the second half and Buddy is built for that, so I think he’s very comfortable. What I like about him is that he brings great energy every day. He’s got a great smile, everybody around him is laughing and he just works. He puts in so much time on the court. He loves the game.”

At 6-feet, 4-inches and 220 pounds, Hield is making his presence felt, averaging 12.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game for his career.

The Warriors will be back in preseason action tonight against the Kings. They will complete their six games in the pre-season on October 18 against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Their regular opener will take place on Wednesday, October 23 against the Portland Trailblazers, featuring fellow Bahamian DeAndre Ayton. The game will be played at the Mona Center in Portland. 

The two also played together on the men’s team in the Olympic Qualifier in July, along with Eric Gordon, who plays with the 76ers. The other Bahamian in the NBA is Kai Jones, who plays for the Los Angeles Clippers.