The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THIS week marks an important step on Buddy Hield’s path toward the National Basketball Association (NBA) as the top collegiate and international prospects look to increase their stock ahead of next month’s Draft.

The NBA Draft Combine takes place from tomorrow to Sunday in Chicago, featuring more than 70 players invited to work out for league franchises.

The combine is a showcase in which players take physical measurements, participate in interviews, undergo shooting drills, take medical tests, go through five-on-five drills and perform various athletic tests in front of NBA coaches, general managers and scouts.

Athletes attend by invitation only and their performance at the event, whether positive or negative, has a direct effect on where players are selected in the Draft.

Hield, expected to be one of the top selections at the June 23 Draft, completed star-studded senior season for the Oklahoma Sooners with a litany of awards including the John R Wooden, Naismith and Oscar Robertson Player of the Year trophies.

He was also named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches first-team, a first-team All-American by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), Sports Illustrated and USA Today. His list of honours thus far on the year also includes the Sporting News Player of the Year, USBWA District VI Player of the Year, CBS Sports Player of the Year, Big 12 Player of the Year and the All-Big 12 first-team.

While the majority of the invited players attend, several top prospects - including Louisiana State University’s Ben Simmons, Gonzaga’s Domas Sabonis and Washington’s Dejounte Murray - have opted not to participate.

Top overall pick of 2015, Karl-Anthony Towns, also opted out of the combine.

Hield is projected by virtually every reputed mock draft or scouting service to be taken in the lottery. NBAdraft.net projects him to go fourth overall, ESPN.com projects him as the sixth overall selection while DraftExpress suggests he will go seventh.

Following the combine and personal workouts with select organisations, the next important date in the process will be Draft lottery ceremony, which is traditionally aired during the conference finals.

This  process determines the selection order and ultimately determines which team would increase their level of evaluation on particular players based on team needs.

Hield, a 6ft 4in, 207-pound shooting guard, is projected to have a likely destination of teams looking for shooting and backcourt help - the Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, Denver Nuggets or Sacramento Kings.

Hield averaged 25 points per game, shot 50 per cent from the field and 45 per cent from three-point range. He also made four three-point field goals per game and shot 88 per cent from the free throw line.

The Celtics, who have the greatest probability of landing the highest pick between the group, shot just 34 per cent from three-point range as a team during the regular season. They also made 8.7 three-point field goals per game. Avery Bradley was the team’s top three-point shooter among players that qualified at 36 per cent.

The Pelicans could also benefit from Hield’s shooting with Eric Gordon and backup point guard Norris Cole as unrestricted free agents. Gordon led the Pelicans in three-point makes per game while shooting 38 per cent from long range.

The Kings continue to search for a consistent answer at the shooting guard spot after 2013 lottery pick Ben McLemore scored just 7.8 points per game and shot 36 per cent from three pointers.

Hield made a record 147 three-pointers last season at Oklahoma in 37 games while the Kings leading three-point shooter, Omri Casspi, made 112 in 69 games.

 The NBA Draft takes place on June 23 in Brooklyn, New York.