By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama native Chavano “Buddy” Hield will be back on the court tonight in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but before starting the second half of the NBA season, he spoke with reporters last week about the current landscape of basketball in The Bahamas.

The three-point marksman was also vocal about the journey ahead for the senior men’s national basketball team at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Valencia, Spain.

Additionally, he highlighted the importance of sharing the Bahamian culture and experience with his fellow teammates across the various NBA organisations.

Basketball is currently in full swing at all tiers in the country. The championships for both the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) and Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) recently wrapped up and a champion will be crowned tonight for the 40th Hugh Campbell Classic.

Internationally, The Bahamas is gearing up to face Puerto Rico in a home-and-away game for the FIBA AmeriCup Qualifiers 2025.

The 31-year-old is pleased to see the growth of basketball that spans across different eras.

“I am so excited to see basketball’s growth starting from the Mychal Thompson era. I wouldn’t say my era but I was one of the first ones to start it from 2016 and then Deandre Ayton and Kai Jones and now you have VJ Edgecombe and AJ Storr, all those young guys.

“Hopefully, the kids here would look up to those guys like we can do it too…I am excited for all of that and I am trying to tap in and see how we can better improve every level and skill.” Hield said.

He also gave special mention to former Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) MVP Jonquel “JJ” Jones, who is an inspiration to young ladies as well.

Hield, who was appointed the Ambassador-At-Large last week, played an integral role for Bahamian basketball as a member of the senior men’s national basketball team that advanced to the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament set for July 2-7.

The Bahamas sits in Group B with Finland and Poland.

Meanwhile, Group A has the host country Spain, Angola and Lebanon.

Twenty four countries will be vying for the final four available spots at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

“It is very exciting thanks to all the support of the Bahamian people, Prime Minister Davis, Mario Bowleg and everybody that took part in getting us to this point. “I just think that we gotta stay together. This run we had in Argentina with LJ bringing the team together shows the team camaraderie. “I feel like we are ready to make that next jump. It is not gonna be easy,” stated Hield.

“We have a lot of powerhouses and we will already be at a disadvantage because we are not on our home soil and Spain will be there.

“We like it the hard way and we are gonna figure it out,” the NBA shooting guard said. “I feel that once we come there ready, settled in and locked in, I feel we could get to the Olympics,” he said.

The country has become a hub for sports tourism and Hield is known for representing his home and its culture any chance that he gets.

He was awarded the tourism brand ambassador honours in 2023 at the National Sports Awards.

The eight-year veteran spoke on sharing a glimpse of Bahamian culture with fellow NBA players.

“All of my teammates and even the teammates now want to come to The Bahamas. They said ‘Buddy I want to come to The Bahamas with you.’

“Every team I go on I always try to invite my teammates to come to The Bahamas, show them where I am from, let them feel the island love, eat some conch or take them to fish fry. I just try to give them some island love and let them have an experience they have never had before,” he said.

It will be back to business as usual for Hield, who is on the hunt for the first playoff appearance of his NBA career, with the Philadelphia 76ers.

The team takes on the fourth seeded New York Knicks 7pm tonight at the Wells Fargo Center.