RJ Hampton
Guard
NBL-New Zealand
OVERVIEW
Hampton was rated as the fifth-best recruit in the 2019 class. Instead of playing college basketball, though, he chose to play overseas for the New Zealand Breakers of the NBL. Potential No. 1 pick LaMelo Ball played in the same league.
At 6-feet-5 and 188 pounds, Hampton possesses good size and length for a 19-year-old guard. But he is more of a combo guard than a pure point guard. He is an impressive ballhandler but needs to get sharper at reading the defense and distributing to teammates.
Hampton averaged 8.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists over 15 games for the Breakers.
ANALYSIS
Hampton is a terrific athlete, making him a creative scorer. He can use nifty moves, such as a crossover, to break down the defense. Then, he explodes to the basket and finishes or draws the foul.
Hampton, though, is not a reliable shooter. Weird footwork when setting his body could be to blame. He shot 29.5 percent on 2.9 3-point attempts per game, and 40.7 percent from the field overall. His free-throw percentage (67.9) also yields concern about his long-term shooting potential.
Though Hampton can rip off impressive passes, he also falls into traps of forcing the ball into bad spots.
Hampton also currently struggles as a defender, though his size and athleticism offers optimism about his potential on that end of the floor.
Hampton likely won’t be drafted as high as James Wiseman and Anthony Edwards, two other stars of the 2019 recruiting class. But he’s an interesting prospect for teams looking for a long-term guard option who can play on and off the ball.
Projection: First round pick