DeAndre Ayton and Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield are no longer starters on contending teams, but they are in a position to make meaningful contributions to their respective squads, as shown so far in the 2026-2027 National Basketball Association (NBA) season.
The two Bahamian professional basketball players met for the first time this season on Saturday, with Ayton and the Washington Wizards coming out on top. The Wizards knocked off Hield’s Chicago Bulls, 124-120, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on Saturday.
Ayton, listed as the backup center for the Wizards, logged 16 minutes off the bench. He shot 3-for-5 from the field and finished with six points, five rebounds and a steal.
Hield, a 33-year-old 11-year veteran, also played 16 minutes off the bench. He shot 4-for-7 from the floor and knocked down one of his three shots from behind the three-point arc. Hield finished with nine points, two rebounds and two assists.
The Wizards were in full control, leading by as much as 21 points in the fourth quarter, but the Bulls kept creeping back in the game, eventually pulling to within single digits, 117-108, on a shot from Caleb Williams with 1:25 remaining.
Wilson buried a three-point ...