Buddy Hield was the Kings’ prized possession before he was Klay Thompson’s replacement on the Warriors.
Hield, selected No. 6 overall by the Pelicans in the 2016 NBA Draft, spent six seasons with Sacramento after New Orleans traded him there for storied center DeMarcus “Boogie” Cousins during the 2016-17 All-Star break.
Being a King was something Hield cherished. In talking to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson on “Dubs Talk,” the 31-year-old reflected on his time in Sacramento.
“Sacramento was so great for me,” Hield told Johnson. “Even though we didn’t win, I feel like just being around those guys, playing and learning each and every day taught us how to win. Even though we didn’t get to win, we learned how to win and how hard it is to win in the NBA.”
Over 385 games with the Kings, Hield went 156-229 and failed to reach the NBA playoffs. However, the sharpshooter made every night count.
Hield averaged 16.9 points and made 40.2 percent of his 3-point shots. He also fattened his wallet while receiving mentorship from former Kings icons-turned-executives Peja Stojaković and Vlade Divac, as well as owner Vivek Ranadivé.
“I’m happy that I was able to learn while I was in Sacramento when I was a young man,” Hield said. “And Sacramento helped me put more money in my pocket. I can never forget that. Vlade and Vivek, they took me as their little son. I learned from them and Peja and the coaching staff that was around me there, and they really helped me and shaped me into the man I am today.”
Golden State Warriors
Hield earned his first millions on a typical rookie deal -- which was prompted by the Pelicans’ draft selection -- but made big-time money once signing a four-year contract with the Kings in October 2019. Then, Hield inked a four-year deal worth $85 million.
And, of course, being coworkers with Stojaković, Divac and Ranadivé taught Hield a lot that his college, Oklahoma, could never teach him.
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Playing for Golden State during the 2024-25 NBA season after being with Sacramento, among other teams, has worked out well for Hield. He is averaging 15.5 points on 40.1-percent 3-point shooting with the championship-familiar Warriors and is fitting in nicely with superstar Steph Curry.
But Hield still thinks about his old Kings. In particular, he is glad Sacramento -- the franchise and city -- reached the playoffs during the 2022-23 season.
“I was just so happy for Sacramento to get past that 16-year stint that we were going through, even though I was four or five years a part of that, too," Hield told Johnson. "I knew how much that stung for the fans. I was happy to see that they were able to get past that stage.
“It’s very hard for a sports franchise to go through that longevity without the postseason. Every time I was there, I was trying to make it happen; it didn’t happen. It sucks. But I’m so happy they were able to get it.”
The Kings endured a 16-year playoff drought before, during and after Hield’s tenure with the franchise. And, ironically, it was Hield’s new team -- and a signature 50-piece from Curry -- which ended that Sacramento team’s season in a seven-game first-round series.
Northern California has meant a lot to Hield, who hails from The Bahamas.
Sacramento, in particular, always will be Hield’s first true home and remains the city he’s played the most for professionally.
The Kings truly helped shape the first-year Warrior.
