Golden State Warriors guard Buddy Hield reflected on the evolution of NBA gameplay since his 2016 rookie season. “It’s a copycat league. Everybody tries to copy whatever someone else is doing well. But it all goes back to regular basketball in the postseason. When playoff basketball comes, the game becomes more physical…the stars that play the best, their team always wins,” Hield said in an interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson.
Hield highlighted the growing influence of Bahamian players in the league. “It means a lot, man! We got VJ Edgecombe and other guys on the cusp of making it…VJ being a top pick gives even more hope. If I can do it, you can do it,” he stated, emphasizing the importance of inspiration and opportunity.
On his own basketball inspirations, Hield listed Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, and Stephen Curry as key figures in shaping his game. “I always watched Steph. Steph was elite,” he said, noting the lessons he drew from observing these stars.
Although Hield just missed playing against Kobe in the NBA, he shared memorable off-court interactions with the legend. “I had some conversations with him that summer because we had the same agent in Rob Pelinka. I went to lunch with Kobe multiple times and it was fun, man,” Hield recalled.
During those meetings, Hield discussed game tactics with Kobe. “Basketball conversations about every game that I saw! He would say, ‘Man, I hate the step-back!’ I said, ‘Yeah? Why did you do the step-back against OKC going to the left? It was nice, you know what I’m sayin’?’ and he was like, ‘How do you remember that?’ and I was like, ‘Because I study you and I know every event…’ and that was fun,” Hield said.
Hield has played a supporting role for Golden State this season, averaging 7.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 17.6 minutes per game. The Warriors currently hold an 8th-place record in the Western Conference at 17-16, with Hield providing bench scoring and veteran insight behind stars like Stephen Curry.
