28 - SPORT

28 THE FREEPORT NEWS Thursday, February 8, 2018 SPORTS Hield in group of favorite young players in the NBA Bahamian picked for Skills Challenge Contest and Rising Stars competition

econd-year NBA player Bahama native is rebounding at showed a lot of promise during Buddy Hield is not put- a 3.5 clip and dishing out 1.6 as- the latter part of the season with ting up startling num- sists per game. the Kings and his supporters bers,S but he has the kind of pure With those figures, he is not looked forward to a continuance presence that is attractive. Cer- lighting up his opponents in the this season. tainly, the NBA has him classi- NBA, but it proves he definitely He has dropped a bit in scor- fied as one of the prime young belongs at the highest level of ing and the Kings are in the door faces of the world’s most estab- the game and he seems poised mat section of the NBA West, lished, competitive and revered to become a star. The NBA folks sitting in 14th position with organization. believe this as well. Hield has only 17 wins against 36 defeats, Although he was not an initial the kind of charisma the NBA (as of Tuesday night). Only the selection for the Skills Chal- wants for its branding. He is had more de- lenge attraction during Al-Star seen as a clean-living represen- feats, one more while with the Weekend (February 16-18) at tative of the game, focused pri- same amount of wins. the Verizon Up Arena in Los marily on improving his craft. I don’t know that Sacramento Angeles, when the first opportu- The All-Star Weekend will be is a good fit for Hield. The team nity came, the NBA pointed to an ideal opportunity for him to needs to make some major ad- the Bahamian shooting guard. heighten his market value. If he justments and determine wheth- of the Utah leads his Rising Stars’ foreign er to leave Hield as a starter or Jazz replaced colleagues to victory and cap- let him settle in, on coming off in the Contest and tures the skills challenge, Hield the bench. Hield filled his (Donovan’s) will bring much more attention Perhaps another trade is in the Skills Challenge slot. his way. If he simply performs near future. If he finds his niche, So, along with being in the well in both instances, there still Hield would be an NBA star for Skills Challenge field, Hield would be dividends. sure. will also be showcased in the The NBA likes him but there For now though, he is playing Rising Stars event. is the expectation for him to rise steady ball and his attitude is Hield is one of the few bright to stardom, in order to enhance just great. spots on a lowly Sacremento the relationship. Best wishes to him for a quali- Kings team. He is averaging How far away is Hield from ty All-Star weekend. 12.5 points per game and scor- stardom? ing at a solid 44 percent from The Pelicans • To respond to this column, the field and a really fine 43 who drafted Hield at the No. kindly contact Fred Sturrup at percent from beyond the arch in 6 overall selection traded him [email protected] or on three-point territory. The Grand to the Kings last season. He WhatsApp at 727-6363 SPORTS SCOPE BUDDY HIELD By Fred Sturrup

TIME FOR CHANGE — Pictured is the high jump bed currently used for practices at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex. Illustrated are the erected makeshift beams and pole laying on the ground used by high jumpers during practices in the afternoon. (PHOTO: SHAYNE STUBBS) Local parent laments condition of high jump bed at Complex

While the government and the Min- der 17 High Jump champion and record Psychologically it impairs his ability, Jump champion, or any athlete here on SHAYNE STUBBS istry of Youth, Sports and Culture has holder Tyler Missick, was the latest to because he knows when he lands, the Grand Bahama must have to settle with. FN Sports Reporter done its best to accommodate and ratify express his outrage at some of the con- microscopic fibers are going to go up It was also Missick’s belief that the [email protected] any concerns the public has lamented ditions at the Complex. over his head and into his nostrils. In- current beds at the Complex were “re- in the past, some persons still feel more In particular, the father of the Taber- haling it becomes a high possibility of ject” beds sent from New Providence. can be done to enhance the local sport- nacle Falcons’ jumper is not pleased contamination,” Missick expressed. “I’ve brought it to the attention of the It has been said for some time now ing facility. with the condition of the high jump bed Upon the illustration of landing on the powers that be. They’ve said the matter that there has been a lack of attention, The Freeport News was contacted by that his son and other athletes, must use bed and seeing the particles disperse has been fixed, but they sent another re- in certain areas, with regards to the a deeply concerned father last week. in their daily practices. as a result, Missick does not feel this ject bed. This is the one they sent from Grand Bahama Sports Complex. Louis Missick, father of National Un- “It is a health risk and it’s just not safe. is something his son, a National High (Continued on Page 23)