Kings guard Buddy Hield breaks Peja Stojakovic’s team record for 3-point goals
Kings guard Buddy Hield made three 3-pointers before halftime in Saturday’s game against the Phoenix Suns to break a franchise record held by one of the organization’s all-time greats.
Hield went into the contest with 238 3-point goals, two shy of the single-season franchise record set by Kings assistant general manager Peja Stojakovic in 2003-04. After sinking one in the first quarter, Hield made back-to-back 3s with about six minutes to go in the second half to stand alone with 241.
He received a standing ovation from the crowd at Golden 1 Center before sinking another 3-pointer before halftime.
“It’s a good honor to get it, but Peja, what he’s done for this franchise has been terrific,” Hield said. “It’s been special.”
Stojakovic, 41, played for the Kings from 1998-2006, helping the team make eight consecutive playoff appearances. He produced one of the best seasons in team history in 2003-04, when he finished fourth in MVP voting and ranked second in the league in scoring, averaging a career-high 24.2 points per game.
Stojakovic led the NBA in free-throw shooting (.933) and 3-point goals, setting a franchise record with 240. He broke the previous record of 225, set by Mitch Richmond in 1995-96.
Stojakovic also holds the Kings all-time record with 1,070 3-point goals over eight seasons in Sacramento. He was a three-time All-Star who won the 3-Point Contest twice, first in 2002 and again the following year.
Hield is averaging 20.8 points per game this season. He is fourth in the NBA in 3-point goals and eighth in 3-point percentage, shooting 43 percent from beyond the arc. He appeared in his first 3-Point Contest this season, finishing third behind Joe Harris of the New Jersey Nets and Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry.
“He’s having an unbelievable season,” Stojakovic said. “I’m happy for Buddy. Buddy is up there with, in my mind, probably the top five shooters in the league, so he’s doing great.”
Going into the game, Hield had made 562 3-pointers in his career, putting him on pace to challenge an NBA record held by Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, who made 599 over his first three seasons.
The first record to fall, however, was Stojakovic’s.
“If it comes Saturday and I break it, a lot of respect to him,” Hield said after Thursday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks. “He’s prepared me so much. ... He’s always on me (about) how to get better, how to get my shot off quicker, how to use my pump fake. He’s still doing that today. A lot of my success comes from talking to him and trying to test him and pick his brain.”
This story was originally published March 23, 2019 at 3:44 PM.