Buddy Hield says he ‘always wanted to play’ for the Warriors

Shooters and the Warriors, a natural fit.

Buddy Hield was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, when the Golden State Warriors held the 30th and final first-round pick after finishing with an NBA-best 73-9 record. So he knew when he entered the draft that he’d be playing somewhere other than the Bay Area.

But that didn’t stop him from dreaming of marrying his prolific three-point shooting skills with what was, at the time, the most modern and three-point centric offense in NBA history, led by the greatest three-point shooter in NBA history ... and quite arguably the second-greatest, too.

Hield’s now an established veteran with nearly 2,000 threes made in his career — already 22nd all-time in league history. And as he prepares to play for his fifth NBA team after agreeing to a sign-and-trade with the Warriors, Hield can finally admit that he has long harbored dreams of playing for the Dubs.

In his first act as a Warrior, Hield joined other members of the organization at San Francisco State for a Warriors camp, shooting hoops with kids and helping them with drills. During an on-camera interview recapping the event, Hield said he was “ecstatic” when he learned that there was an opportunity to join the Warriors.

“I’d just known for years that the Warriors was a team I’d always wanted to play for,” Hield said. “The way they move the ball, they’re always in championship-caliber mode. And just to learn from guys like Steph, and Draymond, and Steve, and Andrew, because I admire the way they approach the game, and I just want to be a part of that, and see what it’s like to be on this side.”

Hield also praised the Warriors for evolving the sport, and for having a culture built around winning and having fun. He seems genuinely excited to be heading to San Francisco. Here’s hoping the on-court fit is just as good as the attitude.