By Malia Poblete
The Sporting Tribune
The John R. Wooden Award will celebrate it’s 50th anniversary this season. Leading up to the award ceremony on April 10, 2026, The Sporting Tribune in partnership with the Wooden Award and the Los Angeles Athletic Club will highlight past winners of the Wooden Award and the Legends of Coaching Award.
Starting with the less traditional route, Buddy Hield began his journey on outdoor courts with a homemade rim. Known for his relentless work ethic and deep shooting range, Hield moved from Jack Hayward High School in the Bahamas to Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas gaining more exposure.
At 16 he already had the potential to play Division I basketball. By the time his senior year rolled around he was averaging 22.7 PPG while leading Sunrise to a 38-2 record. Those stats earned him a First-Team All-State selection in Kansas. At the time, Oklahoma Head Coach Lon Kruger saw a kid who played with joy and shot with confidence.
Kruger said Buddy had “the best motor of any recruit I’ve ever seen.”
Buddy would play all four of his collegiate seasons under Kruger, and come 2016 he became a star that just kept shining brighter. He shot 45.7% from three in high volume and averaged 25 PPG that same year, one of the highest to date in modern Big 12 history.
He then racked up 37 points in the face-off against Oregon sending Oklahoma to the Final Four. Hield became the first player in Big 12 history with 2,000+ points, 300+ made threes, and 500+ rebounds.
He wrapped up his career at Oklahoma earning Naismith Player of the Year, second-all-time leading scorer, and the Wooden Award.
Post-grad he was picked sixth overall in the 2016 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Pelicans and would later be traded after his rookie season to the Sacramento Kings. Throughout his time in the NBA he also played for the Pacers, 76ers, and now currently plays for the Golden State Warriors.
Hield is one of the fastest players in NBA history to reach 1,000 made threes and consistently holds a spot among the league leaders in three-pointers made per season.
On an international scale, Hield revisits his roots – representing the Bahamas national team and having been a key figure in Bahamian basketball development through off-season training camps and youth development programs. He has built a reputation known for his infectious personality, work ethic, and community involvement.