NBA Draft 2016: 5 options for Boston Celtics at No. 3

3. Buddy Hield, Guard, Oklahoma

The 2015-16 College Basketball season was the year of Buddy. Oklahoma senior guard Buddy Hield lit the college basketball world on fire, scoring 25 points per game on his way to being named the easy choice for the Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year.

A fringe NBA prospect before the season, Hield took his game to the next level as a senior. He was always a strong outside shooter, but Hield took his game to the next level in that department last season, leading the nation with 147 three-pointers on an incredible 46% accuracy.

What is most impressive about Hield’s outside shooting last season was his ability to pull up and shoot from anywhere. It is one thing to be a strong catch-and-shooter shooter, but as Steph Curry has shown us, being able to pull up and hit a shot off of the dribble is an incredibly valuable weapon. Even more so than selecting Murray, taking Hield would give the Celtics that deadly outside shooter who they desperately need.

Hield also improved dramatically as a ball-handler, showing a strong ability to consistently drive the line and create his own shot. Similar to Murray, Hield is under-sized as a two and does not have the raw passing ability to play point guard.

Being undersized will hurt Hield defensively in the NBA. However, he is an extremely active and smart defender who typically does a great job defending the other team’s biggest outside threat. Hield is in consideration for the top five because of his offense, but his hard-working mentality on defense is a huge plus as well.

More than anything, the Celtics need a guy who can put the ball in the hoop. Being a four-year player is not ideal, but nobody in this draft class has been as good as Buddy Hield as scoring buckets. It would be considered a reach by some, but I would have no problem with the Celtics selecting Hield.

Next: 2. Dragan Bender