Buddy Hield Bio
Chavano Rainer “Buddy” Hield is a Bahamian professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) and weighing 220 lb (100 kg), he plays the shooting guard position. Hield first gained national attention as a college star at the University of Oklahoma, where he won four major national player of the year awards in 2016. He was selected sixth overall in the 2016 NBA draft by the New Orleans Pelicans and has since built a reputation as one of the league’s most reliable long-range shooters.
Born in Freeport, Bahamas, on December 17, 1992, Hield carries the nickname given to him by his mother, inspired by a sitcom character. He currently plays for the Atlanta Hawks, having joined the team in February 2026 after stints with the New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Golden State Warriors. He also serves as a Bahamian Ambassador-at-Large for Sports and Cultural Development.
Early Life and Background
Chavano Rainer Hield grew up in Eight Mile Rock, a coastal community west of Freeport in the West Grand Bahama district. He was the fifth of seven children of his mother, Jackie Braynen, who gave him the nickname “Buddy” after Bud Bundy from the sitcom Married… with Children. Hield attended Jack Hayward High School in Freeport, where he led the basketball team to the Providence Holiday Tournament championship on a buzzer-beater and won the Grand Bahamas High School Championships. For his play, he was named an All Bahamian Brand All Bahamian Selection.
After his exploits in the Bahamas, Hield was recruited to attend Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas, a basketball prep school near Wichita. Former Wichita State assistant and then-Sunrise coach Kyle Lindsted helped bring him to the program. During his junior year in 2011, Hield led Sunrise Christian to the National Association of Christian Athletes national championship and was named tournament MVP. As a senior in 2011-12, he averaged 22.7 points on .491 shooting in 21.0 minutes per game, drawing attention from several major college programs.
Path to Basketball
Hield was highly recruited out of high school and chose the Oklahoma Sooners over the Kansas Jayhawks. As a freshman at Oklahoma, he averaged 7.8 points per game and earned the team’s Most Inspirational Award. He became a second-team All-Big 12 selection as a sophomore, averaging 16.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. That summer, he worked on his defense and expanded his offensive game to include high-volume three-point shooting.
As a junior, Hield averaged 17.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, leading Oklahoma to a 24-11 record and a Sweet 16 berth. Despite being a potential 2015 NBA draft pick, he returned for his senior season and was named a first-team All-Big 12 selection and Big 12 Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year. Hield recorded a career-high 46 points in a triple-overtime loss to Kansas on January 4, 2016, tying the record for most points scored by an opponent at Allen Fieldhouse. Following his senior year, he won the John R. Wooden Award, the Naismith Award, the Sporting News Player of the Year, and the Oscar Robertson Trophy, averaging 25 points, 5.7 rebounds, and two assists per game while leading the nation in three-point shots.
Buddy Hield Career
Early Career (2016-2017)
On June 23, 2016, Chavano Rainer “Buddy” Hield was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans with the sixth overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft and signed his rookie contract on July 22. He made an immediate impact, posting his best outing as a Pelican on December 15, 2016, with 21 points and five three-pointers in a 102-95 victory over the Indiana Pacers. Hield was later named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for December 2016 and finished the season earning NBA All-Rookie First Team honors.
Sacramento Kings (2017-2022)
On February 20, 2017, Hield was traded, along with Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, and draft picks, to the Sacramento Kings for DeMarcus Cousins and Omri Casspi. He made his Kings debut three days later, scoring 16 points off the bench in a 116-100 victory over the Denver Nuggets, and was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for March. On April 11, he set a new career high with 30 points in a 129-104 win over the Phoenix Suns.
Hield developed into a prolific three-point shooter in Sacramento. In 2017-18, he shot 43.1 percent from three-point range, ranking ninth in the NBA among qualified players. In 2018-19, he broke Peja Stojaković’s franchise season record with 245 three-pointers and surpassed Damian Lillard’s NBA record of 599 three-pointers made in a player’s first three seasons. He also won the Three-Point Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago on February 15, 2020, defeating Devin Booker 27-26 in the final round, and on February 28, 2021, became the fastest player in history to reach 1,000 three-pointers, doing so in 350 games.
Indiana Pacers (2022-2024)
On February 8, 2022, Hield, Tyrese Haliburton, and Tristan Thompson were traded to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb, Domantas Sabonis, and a 2023 second-round pick. Three days later, he made his Pacers debut with 16 points, eight assists, and nine rebounds against the Cleveland Cavaliers. On December 5, 2022, he became the second-fastest player in NBA history to reach 1,500 career three-pointers, trailing only Stephen Curry, and on December 29 he scored the fastest field goal in NBA history since the 1996-97 season, passing Hall of Famer Reggie Miller.
On February 15, 2023, Hield made his 230th three-pointer of the season, surpassing Reggie Miller for the most three-pointers in a single season in Pacers history. He and Tyrese Haliburton both competed in the 2023 NBA Three-Point Contest, where they lost in the finals to Damian Lillard. Before the 2023-24 season, Hield changed his jersey number from 24 to 7, formerly worn by Jermaine O’Neal, Al Jefferson, Malcolm Brogdon, and George Hill.
Philadelphia 76ers (2024)
On February 8, 2024, Hield was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in a three-team deal involving the San Antonio Spurs. He made his 76ers debut the next day, recording 20 points and six assists in a 127-121 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Hield played in a league-high 84 games during the 2023-24 season, averaging 12.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.
Golden State Warriors (2024-2026)
On July 6, 2024, Hield signed a four-year, $37.8 million contract with the Golden State Warriors via a six-team sign-and-trade, the NBA’s first-ever six-team transaction. He made his Warriors debut on October 23, scoring 22 points with five three-pointers in 15 minutes off the bench in a 139-104 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. He played in all 82 games during the 2024-25 season, averaging 11.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. On May 4, 2025, Hield scored 33 points on nine three-pointers in a 103-89 Game 7 win over the Houston Rockets, tying Donte DiVincenzo’s record for most three-pointers in a playoff Game 7.
Atlanta Hawks (2026-Present)
On February 5, 2026, Hield and Jonathan Kuminga were traded to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Kristaps Porziņģis. Hield made 44 appearances, including three starts, for Golden State during the 2025-26 NBA season, averaging 8.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists before the trade. He now wears number 8 for the Hawks, continuing his role as a sharpshooting veteran presence.
Driving Style and Strengths
Buddy Hield is regarded as one of the NBA’s elite three-point shooters, with a smooth, high-volume stroke and a quick release that translates across catch-and-shoot and off-the-dribble situations. His deep range and constant off-ball movement make him a reliable floor-spacer in modern offensive systems, and his record-setting pace to 1,000 and 1,500 three-pointers reflects his consistency and conditioning.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Buddy Hield’s signature moments are his 46-point performance at Allen Fieldhouse in 2016, his 2019-20 Three-Point Contest title, his record-setting 1,000th career three-pointer in 350 games, and his nine three-pointers in a 2025 playoff Game 7 against the Houston Rockets. He also represented the Bahamas at the 2014 Centrobasket in Tepic, Mexico, leading the tournament in scoring at 19.8 points per game.
Buddy Hield Career Wins
Buddy Hield’s career is highlighted by a series of verified accolades, including the 2020 NBA Three-Point Contest championship, the Jerry West Award, the Oscar Robertson Trophy, and consensus first-team All-American honors in 2016. He was also a two-time Big 12 Player of the Year, earning the award in 2015 and 2016. He earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors in 2017 and was named a Second-team All-Big 12 selection in 2014.
NBA Highlights
Hield made his NBA debut with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2016 and quickly emerged as a rotation player, earning Western Conference Rookie of the Month honors in both December 2016 and March 2017. He reached 1,000 career three-pointers faster than any player in NBA history, doing so in 350 games, and later became the second-fastest to reach 1,500 three-pointers. His standout regular-season moments include a 42-point game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 27, 2020, and a career-high eight three-pointers against the Golden State Warriors on January 5, 2019.
Other Wins and Performances
In college, Hield led Oklahoma to a 24-11 record and a Sweet 16 berth in his junior year and finished as the national player of the year in 2016. He represented the Bahamas at the 2014 Centrobasket, where he led the tournament in scoring with 19.8 points per game and added a team-high 6.0 rebounds.
Buddy Hield Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Buddy Hield was raised by his mother, Jackie Braynen, in the Eight Mile Rock community of Grand Bahama. He grew up as the fifth of seven children, and his mother’s support helped shape his early dedication to basketball. He was the first member of his family to reach the NBA and continues to be recognized as a national sporting figure in the Bahamas, where he was appointed Ambassador-at-Large for Sports and Cultural Development.
Personal Life
Buddy Hield’s first child, a daughter, was born in 2017. Following Hurricane Dorian’s impact on the Bahamas, Hield donated $105,000 to the Hurricane Dorian Relief Fund and created a GoFundMe page to raise an additional $1,000,000 for affected families. He also wears the number 24 with the Oklahoma Sooners retired in his honor.
2025 Season Performance
Buddy Hield played in all 82 games for the Golden State Warriors during the 2024-25 NBA season, averaging 11.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. He served primarily as a sharpshooting reserve and floor-spacer for a Warriors squad competing in the Western Conference playoffs. His regular-season production reflected his role as a high-volume three-point specialist who stretched opposing defenses.
In the 2025 NBA Playoffs, Hield delivered a signature performance on May 4, 2025, scoring 33 points on nine made three-pointers in a 103-89 Game 7 win over the Houston Rockets in the first round. His six first-half three-pointers set an NBA playoff Game 7 first-half record, and his nine total tied Donte DiVincenzo’s mark for most three-pointers in a Game 7. The performance helped the Warriors eliminate the Rockets and advance to the next round.
Following the 2025 playoffs, Hield continued with Golden State into the 2025-26 season, appearing in 44 games with three starts and averaging 8.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists before being traded to the Atlanta Hawks on February 5, 2026. He now joins a young Hawks roster looking to build momentum around perimeter shooting and veteran scoring, offering Hield a fresh opportunity to expand his offensive role heading into the remainder of 2026.
