Is Hield the sort of player who will be useless on nights when his shot isn't falling?
Is Bender? Is Murray?
I'm not a Buddy booster over any other pick but it's kind of ridiculous to talk about talk about the guy who was the best or 2nd best player in all of college basketball last season like we don't have any idea of what kind of player he could be, while guys who are total mysteries or one-year wonders get every benefit of the doubt.
Mike
Yeah, it's true... Buddy Hield won the Naismith. So clearly that tells us everything we need to know about him.
You know who also won the Naismith (as well as AP College player of the Year, Adolph Rupp Trophy, John R Wooden Award, Oscar Robertson Trophy, NABC Player of the Year and Sporting News Player of the Year)?....
DOUG MCDERMOTT.McDermott swept all 7 "Player of the Year" awards in 2014. More evidence that McDermott would be taken ahead of Hield if they were coming out at the same time?
Hield split those awards with Denzel Valentine... which is what happened back in 2004 when Adam Morrison and JJ Reddick split the awards.
Other noteable players who swept all 7 awards: Tyler Hansbrough, Jimmer Fredette, Frank Kaminsky, Jameer Nelson, Kenyon Martin, Marcus Camby, Galbert Cheaney, Christian Laettner.
So if you're trying to say that Buddy Hield (who we both seem to be in agreement is considered a Tier 3 prospect) will fare as well as someone like Tyler Hansbrough or Jimmer Fredette on the next level, I agree that you might be on to something. We should take the "superstar college seniors" thing for what it's worth.