Steph Curry has been surprised by Buddy Hield's intense practice regimen.
The Golden State superstar explained on the latest episode of "Dubs Talk" how remarkable Hield’s work ethic has been since joining the team over the summer.
“It’s like when [Kevin Durant] came and you see how a guy at the top of the list of a certain skillset, you see how they work,” Curry told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole and Dalton Johnson.
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“Watching Buddy, I know he talks about me. I know there’s a clip where he was doing a post-practice interview and he was like, ‘Y'all are interrupting my time to watch Steph shoot.’ I do the exact same thing with him.
“I will fully admit he shoots way more shots than I do in practice. It’s not even close. The volume is insane. And it’s something I never really knew was part of his routine.”
Hield has developed into one of the NBA's elite long-range shooters and has made more 3-pointers than any other NBA player over the past five seasons.
His addition to the Warriors has lessened Klay Thompson's departure, giving Golden State another scoring option off the bench.
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For Curry, it's Hield’s approach to shooting that has impressed him the most so far.
“He's a workaholic, he’s a gym rat, he loves to get shots up until it feels right,” Curry told Poole and Johnson. “I’m a little bit more calculated about the intensity and where I’m getting shots. So, it’s kind of cool to see two different approaches. We’re motivating each other in that respect. I did it with Klay for 13 years and now I have a new running mate to push me.”
The “Splash Buddies” pairing has worked out exceedingly well for Golden State. The team is off to a 9-2 start on the season thanks to some lethal shooting from the duo.
The 31-year-old is averaging 16.6 points per game, the second most in the NBA among bench players. Meanwhile, Curry continues to be one of the best players on the planet, capable of taking over games and willing the Warriors to victory.
While there is no replicating the magic of the Curry-Thompson pairing, Hield is doing a more than admirable job in his first season with the Warriors.