The 2020 NBA Draft will be an important event for teams to build for their future. Here is the R.J. Hampton 2020 NBA Draft Profile.
Position: Guard
Size: 6-foot-5, 181 pounds
School: USA
Class: N/A
Hampton was a five-star recruit that could’ve played anywhere in college basketball, but instead decided to play in the NBL in Australia. After a season overseas, Hampton has lived up to the recruiting hype and is now one of the top prospects in the 2020 NBA Draft class.
The New Zealand Breakers were fortunate to get Hampton on their team last season. In 15 games, he averaged 8.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. His season-best for points came just after his debut with 20. He hurt his hip and missed some time, but Hampton got decent experience as a pro.
Hampton left the Breakers in early February to prepare for the 2020 NBA Draft. He is projected to be a lottery pick and one of the best developmental players in the class.
StrengthsHe has good height and length for a point guard at 6-foot-4. Hampton has a 6-foot-7 wingspan, which will help him defend better. Because of his length, Hampton should be able to handle defending guards and wings at a decent level. He can be a matchup problem for smaller players on offense and if he grows into his body, Hampton can be really dangerous.
Hampton is one of the best ball-handlers in the class. He can protect the basketball while dribbling and rarely gets his pocket picked. Not only does he protect the ball, but he can beat his man and create space to get an open shot for himself. Hampton also can penetrate a defense, which forces it to collapse and opens up the offense.
His good athleticism allows him to do a lot of things on the court. On offense, he can get by his man and finish through contact. This allows him to draw fouls and score well. On defense, Hampton can stay in front of his man and can be asked to switch because he usually has the necessary athleticism to match up with a wide variety of players.
Before playing in the NBA, Hampton has to add strength to his frame. At just 181 pounds, he will be pushed around. Not only could this give him trouble in guarding stronger players, but it could also impact his ability to finish at the basket. If he puts on 15 to 20 pounds of muscle to fill out his body, he will have a chance to be a more well-rounded player.
His three-point shooting can be improved. Hampton shot 29.5 percent from deep in Australia last season, which seems to be around what he averages in most competitive seasons he has played. In the NBA, he’ll have to get used to a deeper three-point line, but also drive his percentage up closer to 40 percent to be a real offensive threat.
If he wants to be a primary ball-handler, Hampton will have to be more careful with the ball. He had 1.5 turnovers per game in Australia, but only averaged 2.4 assists. This was all in 20 minutes played per game. He averages 2.7 turnovers per 36 minutes. Hampton will be way more versatile and usable on an NBA roster if he can make good passes and command an offense.
Projected Draft Range: Lottery Pick
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