Buddy Hield keeps convincing NBA teams that he’s a star basketball player, until he’s not, and the cycle begins all over again.
Who is Buddy Hield?
Buddy Hield is a professional basketball player from the Bahamas who made a name for himself with his long-range shooting. Drafted sixth overall in 2016, he quickly became known for his flashy three-point shots and strong starts with new teams. However, after he gets comfortable with a new team, his play style becomes, it seems, disastrous. Think of him as the Broadway understudy who crushes opening night but forgets the choreography by mid-run.
Hield has played for several NBA teams, including the Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers, a brief stint with the Philadelphia 76ers, and most recently, the Golden State Warriors. Each time he joins a new team, fans and analysts expect fireworks. Instead, they get a brief spark followed by a familiar fizzle.
What is the Buddy Hield Cycle?
The Buddy Hield Cycle is a meme-ified pattern of behavior that captures the basketball player’s puzzling inconsistency. There are multiple iterations of the meme, all featuring the general theme of him joining a new team, playing incredibly, then stagnating, until he gets traded and it starts all over again. This pattern has become so predictable that fans online now greet his slumps with wry resignation.
Hield’s 2024-25 stats tell the whole story
In October 2024, Hield lit up the court, averaging 21.2 points per game while shooting an absurd 50% from three-point range. He looked like the Warriors’ secret weapon. But the applause didn’t last.
By November, his numbers slipped to 13.2 points and 41.4% from deep. Still decent, but not show-stopping. By December, those numbers dipped even further to 8.5 points per game, with his shooting dipping to a shaky 30.5% from three.
And January wasn’t much better. Even though he ended up averaging higher numbers than December, the sparkle from October was long gone.
These stats mirror the pattern seen throughout his career. He shines early, but the lights dim quickly.
Even Hield’s teammates were frustrated
Draymond Green, known for his on-court intensity, hasn’t been shy about calling out Hield’s seeming poor focus. Back in December 2024, mics caught him cursing out and berating Hield for not playing to the best of his abilities.
Consistency has always been Hield’s Achilles’ heel. Defensively, he’s often a step slower than his teammates. Offensively, when his shots stop falling, he contributes little else. And yet, he often posts upbeat messages online, like “Enjoying the Process is the only way” or “The journey is the reward!” without responding to the comments of frustrated sports fans.
The Buddy Hield Cycle isn’t just a meme, but rather many see it as a warning label. NBA teams see the highlights and forget the pattern. Despite his raw talent, his inability to maintain intensity makes him a risky bet for contenders.
The Warriors’ Game 7 played against the Houston Rockets, however, seems to be turning the tide of the Buddy Hield Cycle.
The basketball player set a new Game 7 record and became the first ever player in NBA history to score 30+ points in a Game 7 without attempting a single free throw. He also tied for the most 3-point scores in a Game 7 matchup, according to The Playoffs NBA news website.
Social media reacts to the Buddy Hield Cycle repeating…again
As the Buddy Hield Cycle may possibly be at its end, people are posting variations on the meme on a variety of social media platforms:
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