Take Notice: You Are Witnessing Something Special

NORMAN — NCAA Division I men's basketball teams are each allowed 13 scholarship players. Multiply 13 by 351 teams and that means there are upwards of 4,500 scholarship players on men's hoops rosters this season. With that quick calculation behind us, here are a few more numbers: Oklahoma's Buddy Hield ranks first nationally with his 3.9 3-pointers per game. He ranks second with his 26.6 points per contest. And he ranks fourth with his .518 3-point field goal percentage. Again, out of 4,500-plus.

More numbers in a minute. But first, a plea to OU fans.

Take notice.

You are witnessing something special. Something truly, truly special. So special, in fact, that in many regards, most people in these parts have not witnessed it before. And I include myself in that group.

As OU's men's basketball director of media relations for each of the 20 years prior to this season, I attended every Sooners game during that time span. Let me assure you that in those 20 years I never saw anything like what Hield is doing on the court this season.

hield

My first year in the OU Athletics Communications Office was 1995-96, Kelvin Sampson's second season as Sooners head coach. I was immediately treated to watching one of the most gifted offensive players this program has ever seen in Ryan Minor, who that year was a preseason AP First-Team All-American after being named Big Eight Player of the Year in 1994-95 when he averaged 23.6 points per game.

Minor, a 6-7, 225-pound forward, could do just about everything. Post you up. Beat you down the floor with or without the ball. Drain the 3. Dunk on you. He scored in bunches and sits at No. 6 on OU's all-time points list.

But he didn't do this.

Nate Erdmann immediately took over for Minor as OU's go-to guy in 1996-97, the first year of the Big 12 Conference. The bouncy shooting guard set the still-standing single-season school record for 3-pointers (105) that year, connecting on 40.9 percent of his trey attempts while averaging 20.5 points. He was absolutely lethal; a dead-eye marksman from distance.

But he didn't do this.

Former Players React
How some prominent former Oklahoma players size up Buddy Hield and the 2015-16 Sooners. BRENT PRICE (1990-91) "What I think is key to Buddy's play this year is his willingness to stay in school. In this time and age when you have the chance to go to the next level, a lot of guys do. For him to come back has made all the difference in the world. It's a testament to him, his work ethic and his passion, but also a testament to his coaches at OU. He's really blossomed in his four years under Coach Kruger and he's such a joy to watch. "I knew he was good two or three years ago, but he's a great player now. I'm not sure he would have reached his full potential at OU if he hadn't have stayed. I'm just ready for him to graduate because I'm afraid he's going to break some of my records. "But in all seriousness, he's an absolute joy to watch mainly because of his passion for the game. You never have to worry about him playing hard. I love to watch guys who play that way." RYAN MINOR (1993-96) "For me, it's hard to find any fault in what he's doing. He's been so explosive. His 3-point shot and his ability to take guys off the dribble this year have been impressive. I think with the game being called a little tighter defensively this year and with the new shot clock, there's been a bigger emphasis on scoring and he's taken full advantage of that. He's getting buckets any way he can and that's helping the team win. "The way he shoots the basketball, it's got a chance every time with how soft it is coming out of his hand and on the rim. That's one thing I've noticed; there aren't a lot of long rebounds for him, so you know he's got touch with his shot. "Also, he takes what he gets and he doesn't force things. And he's got a really good group around him. That's helped. You've got to give those guys credit, too. He's been fun to watch for me, I know that." NATE ERDMANN (1996-97) "I've been really impressed with Buddy, of course. When you go into Allen Fieldhouse and drop that many points, how can you not be? He's just in a zone. And when you get the ball and you're in a zone, you feel like you can do anything. "He's so aggressive from the tip to the end of the game. To steal a football term, he plays downhill. If he gets the ball, he's looking to score. He's going to shoot, get to the basket or get fouled. He's playing his tail off." AARON McGHEE (2001-02) "What stands out to me about Buddy, first and foremost, is how consistent he's been throughout the first part of the season. OK, it's good to go out and score 30 points against a McNeese State. But then to go into Big 12 Conference play, it's very hard to score 20 points a night. But he's just been doing it on a regular basis. It's just mind blowing how consistent he's been. "And then on top of that, he's leading his team to victories as one of the top teams in the nation. That's pretty remarkable, and everybody across the nation recognizes that. Being the focal point of other teams' defensive strategy, that's extremely difficult. He's handled that remarkably well, especially in big games, and is still producing. He's definitely showing up right now. "I think this team can go all the way. They kind of remind me of the 2002 Final Four team I was on. They have the shooter in Buddy and we had Hollis (Price). They have the well-rounded point guard and we had Quannas (White). (Ryan) Spangler is like me a little bit in how he can rebound and can score inside or out. They have the athletic center in (Khadeem) Lattin, like we had Jabahri Brown. And Dante Buford off the bench is athletic and kind of reminds me of Daryan Selvy. So they have a similar makeup to what we had, but I think this team can make more noise than we did." HOLLIS PRICE (2000-03) "Just watching him, it shows his grit and determination when it comes to winning. This is a guy who impacts the game on both ends of the court and enjoys doing it. That's the joy you get from watching Buddy play. "I'm excited every time OU comes on and I get a chance to see him because he reminds me of myself, except he's bigger and stronger than I was, and a much better shooter. He's got the full package and I love watching him play."

Former Players React

How some prominent former Oklahoma players size up Buddy Hield and the 2015-16 Sooners.

BRENT PRICE (1990-91)

brent price

"What I think is key to Buddy's play this year is his willingness to stay in school. In this time and age when you have the chance to go to the next level, a lot of guys do. For him to come back has made all the difference in the world. It's a testament to him, his work ethic and his passion, but also a testament to his coaches at OU. He's really blossomed in his four years under Coach Kruger and he's such a joy to watch.

"I knew he was good two or three years ago, but he's a great player now. I'm not sure he would have reached his full potential at OU if he hadn't have stayed. I'm just ready for him to graduate because I'm afraid he's going to break some of my records.

"But in all seriousness, he's an absolute joy to watch mainly because of his passion for the game. You never have to worry about him playing hard. I love to watch guys who play that way."

RYAN MINOR (1993-96)

"For me, it's hard to find any fault in what he's doing. He's been so explosive. His 3-point shot and his ability to take guys off the dribble this year have been impressive. I think with the game being called a little tighter defensively this year and with the new shot clock, there's been a bigger emphasis on scoring and he's taken full advantage of that. He's getting buckets any way he can and that's helping the team win.

"The way he shoots the basketball, it's got a chance every time with how soft it is coming out of his hand and on the rim. That's one thing I've noticed; there aren't a lot of long rebounds for him, so you know he's got touch with his shot.

"Also, he takes what he gets and he doesn't force things. And he's got a really good group around him. That's helped. You've got to give those guys credit, too. He's been fun to watch for me, I know that."

NATE ERDMANN (1996-97)

"I've been really impressed with Buddy, of course. When you go into Allen Fieldhouse and drop that many points, how can you not be? He's just in a zone. And when you get the ball and you're in a zone, you feel like you can do anything.

"He's so aggressive from the tip to the end of the game. To steal a football term, he plays downhill. If he gets the ball, he's looking to score. He's going to shoot, get to the basket or get fouled. He's playing his tail off."

AARON McGHEE (2001-02)

"What stands out to me about Buddy, first and foremost, is how consistent he's been throughout the first part of the season. OK, it's good to go out and score 30 points against a McNeese State. But then to go into Big 12 Conference play, it's very hard to score 20 points a night. But he's just been doing it on a regular basis. It's just mind blowing how consistent he's been.

"And then on top of that, he's leading his team to victories as one of the top teams in the nation. That's pretty remarkable, and everybody across the nation recognizes that. Being the focal point of other teams' defensive strategy, that's extremely difficult. He's handled that remarkably well, especially in big games, and is still producing. He's definitely showing up right now.

"I think this team can go all the way. They kind of remind me of the 2002 Final Four team I was on. They have the shooter in Buddy and we had Hollis (Price). They have the well-rounded point guard and we had Quannas (White). (Ryan) Spangler is like me a little bit in how he can rebound and can score inside or out. They have the athletic center in (Khadeem) Lattin, like we had Jabahri Brown. And Dante Buford off the bench is athletic and kind of reminds me of Daryan Selvy. So they have a similar makeup to what we had, but I think this team can make more noise than we did."

HOLLIS PRICE (2000-03)

"Just watching him, it shows his grit and determination when it comes to winning. This is a guy who impacts the game on both ends of the court and enjoys doing it. That's the joy you get from watching Buddy play.

"I'm excited every time OU comes on and I get a chance to see him because he reminds me of myself, except he's bigger and stronger than I was, and a much better shooter. He's got the full package and I love watching him play."

The next year it was Corey Brewer, a prolific scorer as a combo guard who averaged a Big 12-best 24.4 points in league play as a senior. He led OU in scoring in 28 of 33 games that year, and his 19.2 career scoring average ranks fourth in OU history.

But he didn't do this.

You remember tough-as-nails Eduardo Najera, right? The 10th-leading scorer in the 109-year history of the OU hoops program, he'd beat you up inside and could torch you from the outside. Carried OU to the 1999 NCAA Sweet 16. Was a third-team All-American the following year as a senior.

But he didn't do this.

Aaron McGhee and Hollis Price teamed to lead the Sooners to the 2002 Final Four. McGhee was phenomenal the second half of that season, playing at a first-team All-American level. The diminutive and revered Price, who is OU's seventh-leading all-time scorer, did earn first-team All-America honors the next season, the same campaign he was named AP Big 12 Player of the Year. He delivered big shot after big shot after big shot, and was an offensive wizard.

But McGhee and Price didn't do this.

Then there was a guy named Blake Griffin. Had one of the best seasons — maybe the best season — in OU history as a sophomore in 2008-09 when he ran away with every national-player-of-the-year award. He dominated the college basketball world that year and was drafted No. 1 overall three months later.

But even he didn't do a lot of the things that Buddy is doing this year.

You probably know all about Buddy's story. Grew up disadvantaged in the Bahamas, lacking the resources you need to really improve at the game basketball as a youngster. I'm talking about having to make your own basketball goal out of plywood and a milk crate and nail it to a wooden light pole.

One thing Buddy didn't lack was heart, and when he was discovered in high school by a Kansas prep school coach and offered a chance to come to the U.S., he didn't balk.

A couple years later he found himself in Norman after signing with Lon Kruger's Sooners. The jovial workaholic showed promise as a freshman, averaging 7.8 points and 4.2 rebounds a game. As a sophomore, he took off. He started all 33 games and earned second-team All-Big 12 honors after averaging 16.5 points and making 90 3-pointers, the sixth most in OU history. And then last year he raised the bar even higher, averaging a league-high 17.4 points per game and being named Big 12 Player of the Year while leading OU to the Sweet 16.

This season? What's the best way to describe the performance of the national-player-of-the-year frontrunner? How about: pretty danged unprecedented.

Consider:

• Hield has scored at least 25 points in eight of the last nine games. Know how many Sooners have ever scored 25 points at least eight times in nine contests? Try zero.

• Hield's 26.6 scoring average would be a Big 12 record if the season ended today. Among Sooners, only the great Wayman Tisdale averaged more points per game in a season (27.0 in 1983-84).

• No player in OU or Big 12 history has averaged at least 25.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game for an entire season. Hield is averaging 26.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists.

• No player in OU or Big 12 history who averaged at least 10.0 points per game in a season has finished a year shooting at least 50 percent from the field, 50 percent from 3-point range and 90 percent from the free throw line. Hield owns respective season percentages of 52.4, 51.8 and 90.1.

• Hield has scored 274 points over the last nine games for an average of 30.4. Only one other Sooner — Tisdale — has ever accomplished that feat and he did it one time. Tisdale netted 309 points over a nine-game stretch (included a school-record 61-point outing) as a sophomore in 1983-84.

• Hield has scored at least 20 points in each of the last nine contests. The last time an OU player did that was 27 years ago. Stacey King, the No. 6 overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft, had a streak of 11 such efforts as a senior.

• Hield has six games of at least 30 points in 15 contests so far this year. Only Tisdale recorded more 30-point efforts in the first 15 games of a season (seven in 1983-84). The last Sooner with more than six 30-point games in an entire season was Jeff Webster (10) in 1993-94.

• Hield scored 46 points in a triple-overtime loss at No. 1 Kansas three games ago. It tied as the most points ever scored by a KU opponent at Allen Fieldhouse, and it fell two points shy of tying the Big 12 record for points in a game.

• Hield's 46 points were the most by a Sooner since the 1990-91 campaign when Brent Price scored 56 of OU's 172 against Loyola Marymount.

• Hield's 20 3-pointers over the last three outings are the most in OU history over a three-game stretch. Brent Price (1990-91) and Erdmann (1996-97) held the record of 18 treys over a three-game span. Hield is 20 for 35 (.571) from deep over the last three games.

What's the best way to describe the performance of the national-player-of-the-year frontrunner? How about: pretty danged unprecedented.

• Hield's 3.9 3-pointers per game are on pace to set an OU single-season record. Erdmann holds the mark of 3.5 in 1996-97.

• Hield has scored at least 30 points in five of the last nine games. Only Tisdale has accomplished that feat among OU players (seven in a nine-game stretch in 1983-84).

• Hield is the only player in OU history to make at least 90 3-pointers in a season twice (90 in 2013-14 and 93 in 2014-15). He is on pace to make 118 treys this year in 30 games (the single-season school record is 105 by Erdmann in 1996-97; 30 games).

• Hield has made at least five 3-pointers five times in the last seven games. No other Sooner has ever done that over a seven-game span.

• With 14 regular season games remaining, Hield already owns the OU record for career 3-pointers with 261. Only four other Sooners have made at least 200 career treys.

So the point is this: The next time you see Buddy Hield do what has become, for him, rather ordinary over the last couple months, stop.

Appreciate it. Savor it. Bathe in it. Who knows when you'll see numbers like these again.

And one more thing. As exceptional as Buddy's on-court performances have been, they pale in comparison to how special of a guy he is. His character and work ethic helped lay the foundation for the Kruger era, and will continue to pay dividends to the program long after he plays his final game in an OU uniform.

#BuddyLove. #BuddyBuckets. #BuddyFresh.

What an extraordinary buddy he has been to Sooner Nation.