There’s a big, big job opening in Los Angeles. It’s been left vacant by Kobe Bryant, who has finally retired after two decades of service and glory with the Lakers. Rumors have suggested Kevin Durant may come to Tinseltown in free agency, but the more definite reality sees the team’s front office grabbing a promising prospect with the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft.
Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield thinks he can be just that guy. “This is what the franchise needs,” Hield recently said, according to Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News. “The Lakers are losing Kobe and they need a scorer. So why not call on me to fill in their spot?”
Hield was the Naismith College Player of the Year as a senior, and became the media darling of the NCAA tournament after a string of memorable scoring performances. That being said, though, few draft projections have Hield going as high as No. 2, so it seems that he’s hoping a little chutzpah may elevate his status.
“I’ve been a confident player. I’ve been under pressure my whole life,” Hield said. “The Lakers expect to win. I’m a player that comes in to expect to win right away.” It seems that he’s gotten the star mentality down, if nothing else.