Buddy Hield brings energy and joy to the Warriors while proudly honoring his roots in the Bahamas

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Buddy Hield hollers through the locker room at Stephen Curry with some good-natured banter or cracks jokes at practice and on the team plane, by all accounts leaving everyone in hysterics.

From the moment Hield joined the Golden State Warriors last summer, he exhibited a tireless training regimen, too — one that has impressed Curry.

“He probably puts more hours in the gym than I think I’ve ever seen anybody,” Curry said.

The two-time NBA MVP is enjoying the high-energy personality, team-first dedication along with his new Warriors backcourt mate's love for his craft.

From Freeport in the Bahamas to the Bay Area, the 32-year-old Hield takes great pride in representing his island nation on the big NBA stage.

“It’s special,” Hield said. “It’s not by chance. I’ve put the work in, for sure. I’m just blessed and honored to be in this position.”

Hield is averaging 12.6 points and shooting nearly 43% from the field with the Warriors, but he also is making his presence felt off the court.

When Hield arrives anywhere with the Warriors, he offers his hellos with that signature smile and instantly lifts the spirits of his new team. It's the kind of joy and focus coach Steve Kerr has long insisted defines the Warriors franchise.

“There is nothing even-keel about him, he is all extreme happy, joy, talking all the time, and you love that energy because he loves the game,” Curry said. “... He does bring joy to the locker room, to the plane. No matter where we’re at, you’re going to hear him and he lifts everybody up because he’s got a great sense of humor and he’s been around the block. The funniest part is you just can’t get him to shut up. So you appreciate everything he brings.”

His teammates call him Buddy Love, Buddy Fresh and Buddy Buckets — the nickname Buddy has been with the shooting guard since just after his birth, as Hield's formal first name is Chavano.

Hield became the 17th player in NBA history to reach 2,000 3-pointers, and he sparks the offense with the way he runs the floor.

“I’ve just got to keep moving and hopefully I’m able to catch some of the greats," Hield said. “I probably won’t be able to catch Steph, but I hope to catch some of the greats and hopefully I can crack top-10, maybe top-five.”

That would be just fine with Kerr.

“We’re at our best when we’re playing fast and with a lot of pace, and that’s what Buddy does really well," Kerr said. “He runs the floor in transition probably better than anybody on our team.”

The Warriors (16-16) have been struggling lately, losing three of their last 10.

But you won't hear complaints from Hield, who has enjoyed an impressive run — from shooting as a youngster on a makeshift hoop that he and his brother Chevez constructed from a milk crate to helping lead Oklahoma to a Final Four in college and now as a journeyman in his ninth NBA season with a fifth different team.

"Where I came from in the Bahamas, I couldn’t write a better script than this, just being down there, shooting on an outside court, building my own court right from a crate. To have 2,000 3s, I know the young kids back home and the people that helped me get to this point will really appreciate that.

"So I’m just blessed to be in this situation.”

Hield landed with Golden State following Klay Thompson’s departure to Dallas, and it's something Bahamas teammate Thompson called “very special.”

"I’m just happy they replaced me with another Bahamian,” he said.

And Thompson certainly realizes what Hield means to the Bahamas and helping build basketball back home.

“Are you kidding me? He’s a legend, especially around Freeport. Buddy gives young men and women hope all over the nation,” Thompson said. “Especially his commitment to the national team, it’s amazing. It’s really cool.”

Hield's shooting has been inconsistent, but the Warriors are seeing everything he brings on and off the court. And that doesn't waver whether he's hitting shots or missing them, or starting or coming off the bench.

"He lifts this team every day when he comes in smiling,” guard Gary Payton II said. “I know that smile travels all the way back to the Bahamas and those kids have the same smile when he’s on the court. ... How he plays and what he does, it’s kind of like a Steph effect over there in the islands. They’re shouting Buddy. We know what he means to this team and what he means to the Bahamas.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

FILE - Golden State Warriors guard Buddy Hield controls the ball during an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans in San Francisco, Oct. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

FILE - Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, left, greets Warriors guard Buddy Hield who comes off the court during the second half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in Sacramento, Calif., Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Randall Benton, File)

FILE - Golden State Warriors guard Buddy Hield (7) reacts after making a 3-point basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar, File)

FILE - Golden State Warriors guards Buddy Hield, left, and Stephen Curry (30) celebrate as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) leaves the court during the second half of an NBA basketball game Nov. 10, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings, File)

FILE - Golden State Warriors guard Buddy Hield, left, gestures to the Minnesota Timberwolves' bench during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar, File)

ATLANTA (AP) — Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. will have his injured left knee reevaluated next week as he works to return to the Atlanta lineup after ACL surgery last year.

Acuña, who tore his left ACL on May 26 and had surgery on June 6, will travel to Los Angeles for the checkup, Braves manager Brian Snitker said Thursday.

Acuña has been taking live batting practice, but has not been cleared to do any start-and-stop running or cutting, Snitker said. The 27-year-old slugger has not run out of the batter's box in his workouts.

“They just have to check him out and sign off on it before they can do that,” Snitker said. “And I think this was just part of the plan initially. I don't think he's going to rush it or anything. This has been the case from the get go.”

Acuña was hurt after 49 games last season and hit just .250 with four home runs, one year after winning the National League MVP with 41 home runs, 73 steals and a .337 batting average.

“It's going to be about, just like other guys that miss spring training, getting his body in shape when he gets cleared,” Snitker said.

The Braves have struggled without Acuña in the lineup this season. Atlanta lost nine of its first 11 games and were tied for 28th with 34 runs scored entering play Thursday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

FILE - Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. stands in the dugout during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, on Aug. 17, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun, File)