Pelicans choose Buddy Hield with sixth pick in draft

The New Orleans Pelicans selected Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield with the sixth overall pick in Thursday night’s NBA Draft.

Hield is a native of the Bahamas who played two seasons at Sunrise Academy in Wichita before attending Oklahoma.

Hield, who averaged 25 points per game while leading the Sooners to the Final Four last season, was named an AP All-American and won the prestigious Wooden Award and Naismith Trophy. He hit 147 three-pointers, hitting about 46 percent of his shots from long range.

New Orleans is coming off an injury-plagued, 30-52 campaign.

This year’s draft marks the beginning of a busy offseason for the Pelicans, who are trying to give All-Star forward Anthony Davis a stronger supporting cast.

When free agency starts in July, New Orleans will have to decide whether to re-sign former regulars including guard Eric Gordon and forward Ryan Anderson.

This story was originally published June 23, 2016 at 7:31 PM with the headline "Pelicans choose Buddy Hield with sixth pick in draft."