Shooting Guard: Buddy Hield
Like Blaylock, Hield led back-to-back NCAA Tournament runs at Oklahoma. Though, unlike Blaylock, Hield went to four straight NCAA Tournaments over his career, instead of just two.
For his 10-game NCAA Tournament career, Hield averaged 19 points, but his first two seasons were one-and-done spots in March Madness with first-round exits. Then in 2015 he was the Big 12 Player of the Year and had enough help to advance to the Sweet 16. He averaged 17 points on that run but shot just 7/27 from three and Oklahoma was ousted by Michigan State.
Finally, Hield entered March of 2016 as a senior and consensus All-American with the Wooden Award, his second Big 12 Player of the Year award, and as the Naismith Player of the Year. He was the best player in the country and played like it on the biggest stage.
Hield dragged Oklahoma to the Final Four with a 27-point game against Cal State Bakersfield, a 36-point outing against VCU, a 17-point game against Texas A&M, and a 37-point performance in a Regional Final victory over Oregon. He went 8/13 from beyond the arc against the Ducks
Then, it all fell apart against a dominant Villanova team. Hield went 4/12 from the field one of eight from three and was held to nine points. It was a disappointing end to a legendary career, but Jay Wright’s team was inevitable that season, and Hield was spectacular up to that point.