Buddy Hield will soon be joining the Kings for training camp in preparation for a highly anticipated season in Sacramento, a year after being one of the NBA’s most pleasant surprises. The Kings became a fringe playoff contender in the loaded West behind the play of young stars like Hield and De’Aaron Fox, and while few expect them to make the postseason this year, there is hope they can continue building on their success.
Right now, Hield is focused on his native Bahamas, where relief efforts are still ongoing after the island nation was devastated by Hurricane Dorian in late August. Hield, who like fellow Bahamian Deandre Ayton donated $100,000 to relief efforts, has also helped raise $200,000 with a GoFundMe that fans have contributed to in an effort to send more help and needed supplies to the islands.
The sharpshooting guard spoke with Sports Illustrated‘s Dan Greene recently about those relief efforts that are ongoing and why the Bahamas need continued support going forward, even as we near a month since the hurricane hit.
The videos seem unreal until you really get to see [the destruction]. But I know from being there as a kid, when the hurricanes hit, it was never how it used to be [afterward]. When the storms hit, we go back four or five years because the resources aren’t there and the hotels aren’t making enough money. Everything is pushed back, so we never could get back to where we once were.
There were islands that were almost totally leveled by the Category 5 winds that hit the nation as the hurricane sat over the Bahamas for over 24 straight hours, and as Hield notes, the Bahamas don’t have the resources to rebuild quickly. The effects of Hurricane Dorian will be felt for years and Hield wants to do whatever he can to help raise money and awareness for that, as he plans to make a trip to the Bahamas soon to help distribute supplies.
