The Golden State Warriors got the most apt replacement in Buddy Hield as Klay Thompson parted ways with the franchise. Despite having recorded 1,600 three-pointers over the past six years, Hield admitted that he was not the best shooter on the Warriors. He further claimed that the feeling of being the 2nd best shooter on a roster was new to him.
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After claiming that Stephen Curry was the only teammate better than him in terms of shooting, Hield also gave a shout-out to Tyrese Haliburton. The duo spent nearly 4 years playing together in Sacramento and Indiana before the Bahamian was traded to the 76ers.
The former #6 pick has been the 2nd best long-distance shooter in the NBA for the past few years. The only player better than him in shooting from beyond the three-point line has been his new teammate. While Curry is undeniably the greatest shooter of all time, the newest GSW member didn’t feel ashamed of admitting that the two-time MVP was better than him. But, the 31-year-old implied, before his time with the Bay Area side, he’s never been the 2nd best shooter on a squad.
“No (teammate has been better). Tyrese Haliburton, we all know how competitive he is about that, but Steph is, he’s the one. I’ve been watching him all my life. I’m ready to learn, ready to watch him, see how he goes about his shooting mechanics, how he goes about his workout routine,” he said.
However, his former 76ers teammate Tyrese Maxey seemed to have an issue with these statements and made his feelings clear online. Replying to a post on X, Maxey wrote, “EHHHHHHHHHH”.
EHHHHHHHHHH🫣🫣🤣🤣@buddyhield https://t.co/soEXuPCIC5
— Tyrese Maxey (@TyreseMaxey) July 19, 2024
Hield was part of the Philadelphia 76ers for merely half a season this past campaign. Hence, it becomes difficult to assess who the better three-point shooter was–Maxey or him.
Maxey and Hield had different roles for the Sixers. While the former started every game and was used as the second scoring option behind Joel Embiid, the latter had the responsibility of being an asset off the bench. In the 32 games that Hield played representing the City of Brotherly Love, he shot 38.9% from beyond the arc. In that same time, Maxey participated in 24 games and shot 36.1% from three.
Will Steph be a better fit for Buddy than Maxey was?
While Hield did have a slightly better shooting display in his 32-game stint with the Philadelphia 76ers, one has to agree that Maxey was also quite impressive.
Tyrese Maxey, who won the 2024 Most Improved Player, also had his best year shooting the rock. He scored a career-high 212 three-pointers in the campaign. Hield would’ve enjoyed playing alongside another sharpshooter in the MIP. But, he might enjoy his time with the GSW much more considering that he will be sharing the hardwood with Steph.
Widely regarded as the player responsible for transforming modern basketball with the usage of the three-point shot, Curry led the league in three-pointers made for the eighth time in his career and was also significantly better than Maxey in terms of efficiency over the course of the 2023-2024 season.
Having spent his entire career playing alongside a catch-and-shoot guard in Klay, Steph will have no trouble adjusting to life with Hield, who can expect more wide-open looks when on the floor with him. And with the shooting prowess that they possess, the duo can dominate the league while terrorizing defenders.
