Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield is more than a shooter. He’s one of the best players in the country

The last time Oklahoma basketball climbed into the top five of the polls, Blake Griffin was slamming his head on the side of backboards and leading the program to the Elite Eight. Seven years later, Oklahoma has a new star powering it to elite status.

After running the table at the Diamond Head Classic last weekend, the Sooners are now one of five undefeated teams left in the country. Oklahoma is No. 3 in the new AP poll, No. 1 in KenPom’s rankings and top 11 in both offensive and defensive efficiency heading into conference play. They also might have the best player in the country.

Buddy Hield isn’t sneaking up on anyone this year. As a junior, Hield was Big 12 Player of the Year and a third-team AP All-American. He considered entering the NBA draft as a borderline first-round pick, but opted to return to Norman for his final season. It’s proving to be a wise decision. Hield has elevated his game to new heights as a senior, and he’s taking the Sooners with him.

Hield ended the non-conference slate fifth in the country in scoring at 24.9 points per game. He’s eighth in PER (33.1), second in Win Shares per 40 and he’s posting a 67.7 true shooting percentage, which is incredible for a shooting guard. For as impressive as the numbers are, a closer look at Hield’s game reveals just how much he’s grown over the summer.

“Last year, he was a shooter. This year, he’s a basketball player,” Creighton head coach Greg McDermott said after Hield dropped 33 points on his Bluejays in an Oklahoma win earlier this month. “He’s going to be wearing an NBA uniform next year.”

Don’t get it twisted: Hield can still shoot the ball. He’s essentially the best high-volume shooter in power conference college basketball this year, making 52.9 percent of the 6.4 threes he’s attempting per game. The difference for Hield as a senior is that he can score in other ways, and it’s making his three-point shot more effective than ever.

A year ago, Hield took only 29.9 percent of his shots at the rim (per Hoop-Math) while jacking 7.4 threes per game at a 35.9 percent clip. This season, 44.7 percent of his shots are at the rim, and he’s upped his conversation rate from 55.7 to 61.2 in the process.

With defenses weary of giving up a three, Hield has been able to get opposing teams on their heels and drive to the basket. He’s worked on his handle to become shiftier with the ball this season after developing a reputation as a straight line driver earlier in his career. Hield doesn’t just have to go right at you or shoot over you anymore, he can go around you now, too:

Putting the threat of the drive in opposing teams heads makes Hield’s perimeter shooting even more deadly. With a quick release and the ability to hit from all over the floor, opposing teams don’t have much margin for error.

Just look at his shot chart, via Shot Analytics. Hield is shooting at least 47 percent from every spot beyond the arc, and 60 percent from both corners:

Another way Hield has been able to get looks from three is in transition. According to DraftExpress, 32.1 percent of his scoring came in transition as a junior, where he scored 1.22 points per possession. Here against Hawaii this weekend, he finds a way to get to his spot on the break for a three even though all five players on Hawaii are in front of him when he rebounds he ball:

Hield’s evolution has started to give Oklahoma a new identity for a team missing the inside scoring presence of TaShawn Thomas from last season. The Sooners now start four players hitting more than 40 percent of their threes, which opens up the floor for Hield’s drives. Throw in a legit rim protector in sophomore big Khadeem Lattin -- whose 7.4 block rate is No. 87 in the country -- and Oklahoma looks like a real contender during a season that lacks the powerhouse teams at the top of the country we saw last year.

Hield’s decision to return to school won’t just benefit Oklahoma, it’s going to boost his draft stock, too. The 2016 draft isn’t as strong as last year’s, and it’s particularly thin at two guard. Hield has been moving up draft boards, vaulting himself to No. 29 according to Chad Ford, No. 38 according to Draft Express and No. 11 according to NBADraft.net.

While Hield lacks ideal height for a shooting guard at 6’4, he does have a 6’8.5 wingspan and a strong 215-pound frame. The main area NBA teams will want to see him improve is as a facilitator, where he’s averaged exactly 1.9 assists his first three years in school and 1.7 assists as a senior this season.

There’s no reason to worry about any of that just yet, though. For now, Hield is putting his name in the thick of the Wooden Award race and has Oklahoma looking as formidable as any team in America. His season is becoming a testament to the benefits of staying in college, and how subtle skill development can lead to major improvements for a player. If the Sooners are going as far as Buddy Hield can take them, they have to like their odds.