With the Kings season soon drawing to a close, Buddy Hield added an exclamation point to his rookie campaign with a career night.
With just eight points at halftime against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night, Hield turned it on in a big way during the second half. He scored an additional 22 points en route to a career-high 30 in the 129-104 victory. The Kings rookie knocked down four shots from beyond the arc while shooting 12-of-20 from the field overall.
With Buddy’s new career high, this marked the second time this season a Kings rookie has scored 30 or more, as Skal Labissiere turned in a 32-point effort in March also against the Suns.
Hield also became just the fourth player from the 2016 NBA Draft class to put up a 30-plus point game, joining Skal, Tyler Ulis, and Jamal Murray.
After being named NBA Rookie of the Month for his performance in March, Buddy has continued to impress as of late. In his past five contests, the rookie has logged an average of 19.4 points per game behind an efficient 47-percent shooting from three-point range.
Following his career night, Hield reflected on what it meant to have this kind of game in the final home contest of the season.
“You always want to leave on a good note,” Buddy stated. “Just leaving a great impression and showing these fans that we’re here for you and we appreciate your support.”
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