Buddy Hield made more three-pointers than any player in college basketball this year, led Oklahoma to the Final Four and shot up NBA draft boards during his senior season with the Sooners. Now Hield has been named the winner of the 2016 Wooden Award. Hield received the honor over Kentucky’s Tyler Ulis and Michigan State’s Denzel Valentine during a ceremony in Los Angeles on Friday night.
Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield named 2016 Wooden Award winner
The Oklahoma senior has been named college basketball’s most outstanding player.
Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
Hield was college basketball’s most electrifying scorer this season, averaging 25 points, 5.7 rebounds and two assists per game. His weapon of choice was the three-point shot. Hield made 147 threes at a 45.7 percent clip as a senior.
Hield’s coming out party was a 46-point effort against Kansas in triple overtime, a game Oklahoma lost but one that still cemented his rise as college basketball’s best player. He was amazing in the NCAA Tournament as well, making six threes against VCU in the Round of 32 and eight threes as part of a 37-point effort against Oregon to sent the Sooners to the Final Four.
Hield won Big 12 Player of the Year as a junior, but took his game to new heights as a senior by becoming the game’s most dangerous scorer. This award is a testament to his incredible work ethic. The real prize will come during the NBA draft, where Hield is projected to be a top 10 pick.
Previous winners of the Wooden Award include Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis. Hield also won the Jerry West Award for the nation’s best shooting guard during the event.
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