Buddy Hield gives KU basketball’s Kevin McCullar advice after matchup in Puerto Rico
Kansas super-senior guard Kevin McCullar accepted arguably the toughest defensive assignment of his basketball career Saturday in a meaningless summertime exhibition game against the Bahamian National Team in front of about 2,000 fans.
“It was super cool,” McCullar said of hounding the 6-foot-4, 30-year old Buddy Hield, an NBA veteran who scored 18 points while playing just one half of Team Bahamas’ 92-87 loss to the Jayhawks at Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum.
“To be able to match up with guys like that ... that’s who I want to be guarding every night when I get to the league. So I appreciate him pushing me and we were talking trash and having fun. It was a good time. It was fun out there. We were just competing. He told me after the game (to) keep staying aggressive this year and just have fun. It was good advice from him and I appreciate that.”
McCullar at one point matched Hield point for point.
McCullar scored 10 points in the first of four quarters to Hield’s 12. McCullar finished with 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting with five assists and four rebounds. Hield hit 5 of 11 shots and was 3 of 9 from 3 en route to his 18 points with five assists, three steals and four turnovers.
The trash talking was good-natured between the Indiana Pacer and former Oklahoma Sooner Hield and McCullar. In fact, Hield spoke to the 6-7 McCullar after the game.
What’d he say?
“That I had the talent, I just have to be aggressive,” McCullar said, adding, “I’ve played a bunch of NBA players before and it’s great to match up with guys like that and it’s always fun. You just have to make it hard on a guy like that. That’s what I tried to do and he still gave us a couple buckets That’s kind of going to be my game the whole year. I’ve got to be aggressive on that end of the floor.”
Dajuan Harris (two points, nine assists, five turnovers) and Arterio Morris (seven points, seven rebounds) also guarded Hield some in the first half.
At one point, Elmarko Jackson jumped at Hield and fouled him on a deep 3-point try, leading to three free throws, all makes by Hield.
It led to a humorous moment, as coach Bill Self recalled.
“I told Elmarko in front of Buddy, ‘Man, that’s out of his range, he can’t make that.’ And Buddy just looked at me and goes, ‘Yeah, right,’’’ said Self.
Self also chatted with Hield before the contest. The former Oklahoma Sooner raced over to Self to chat when Self entered the court through a tunnel about an hour before the game.
Self had been excited about the prospect of facing Hield leading up to the contest.
KU forward Hunter Dickinson, who scored a game-high 28 points after a modest first-game performance — Franco Miller had 24 for Team Bahamas — thought the Jayhawks did a nice job guarding Hield. KU outscored Bahamas 42-36 at the half.
“We knew Buddy was going to make some shots. He makes a lot of money to do that. We wanted to make it really tough for him,” said Dickinson, who hit 11 of 13 shots, several off KJ Adams lobs. He was 5 of 8 from the line with six boards.
Continued Dickinson: “I think Kevin did a really good job. Whenever they tried to set a screen I tried to help as much as I can, tried to get the ball out of his hands. I think we did a really good job overall.”
Self thought Dickinson played well.
“I’ll say this about Hunter, and this may be one of the best things: A month ago he didn’t catch one lob. And today he looks like a good lob catcher. And he throws it well, too,” Self said.
Dickinson had four assists, three steals and three turnovers.
On Monday he may get the chance to play against NBA big man Deandre Ayton in an 11 a.m. rematch between the teams. Team Bahamas has NBA players Hield, Ayton, Kai Jones and Eric Gordon on the roster. Only Hield played Saturday.
“There’s actually NBA scouts that (are watching). There’s one of them here. Justin Cross’ father is a big NBA scout,” Self said. (Justin Cross is a KU walk-on.) “So there will be opportunities for people to talk. And it’ll be the same thing with Hunter. Word’ll get out: Did he hold his own or did he get his (butt) kicked?”
Perhaps the only bad news, Texas transfer guard Arterio Morris suffered a bone bruise late in the game. Self said he may not play in Monday’s game but the injury is not believed serious.
