Buddy Hield emerged as a household name in basketball circles last winter largely due to his scoring exploits, as one of the NCAA's premier offensive weapons. He tallied 30-plus points a dozen times as an Oklahoma senior, topped by 46 in a widely-watched game at Kansas. As all NBA rookies discover when they reach the pros, however, virtually every player at this level is a threat offensively. That's part of why Hield spent much of his first official New Orleans Pelicans practice Saturday focused on learning pointers about how to slow down shooting guards.
“Everybody's great in the NBA. If you're in the NBA, you're not a bad player. You have to do something well to be in this league,” Hield said of the dramatic increase in talent level and competition of the NBA compared to college. “(As a defender) you're not going to win every battle. That's reality, because everyone is good. You can lose some battles, but you've just got to contain and make (the opposing player) make tough shots and tough plays.”
“It's going to be a struggle defensively,” said Pelicans forward Anthony Davis of the general challenges first-year pros often face. “As a rookie, you're going to have breakdowns, you're going to mentally give in sometimes. The game is a lot faster, more physical. Guys have way more knowledge than you about the game. Guys are older. You've got to bear with it, have confidence in yourself and the team system. Just fight through it.”
Hield and his New Orleans teammates are in the early stages of learning the club's defensive schemes and how to gel as a unit defensively, a critical aspect of trying to improve. The Pelicans were 28th in defensive efficiency last season, but added a few free agents who are known as plus defenders, including forward Solomon Hill and guard Langston Galloway.
The 22-year-old Hield is working on numerous aspects of defense, an exhaustive list he said Saturday consisted of “knowing when to pull in and help on defense, seeing man and ball, little things, working on schemes, closing out right, knowing personnel – who can shoot, who cannot shoot – and who Coach wants to put at the (foul) line.”
Asked about expectations for the sixth overall pick, Pelicans Coach Alvin Gentry again stressed patience, saying that there will be ups and downs for first-year players.
“He's going to be fine, but he's going to be a typical rookie: He's going to have great games, and then he's going to struggle, which is what every rookie has done in this league,” Gentry said. “(He must adapt to) the transition from college defensively, the speed of the game, fighting over screens, which will all come with experience. You can't do anything but put him out there and try to get him some experience in those areas.”
Other notes from practice Saturday, the first of two for the Pelicans today:
Davis on being back for an official practice with the Pelicans and his teammates, after a long six months of work to be ready after a knee procedure: “I feel great. I'm just happy to be back out there. I love the game so much that it's frustrating when you couldn't play. My main goal is to ready for October 26 (regular season opener vs. Denver). Right now, I feel like I'm on the right direction to get there.” Davis said he fully participated in the morning session, other than being held out of a late-practice conditioning drill by coaches.
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Want to see the Pelicans in person for free? Attend Wednesday's open practice.
