NBA Teams “Love” RJ Hampton as Draft Stocks Rise

NBL Next Star RJ Hampton is rising up NBA mock drafts ahead of next month’s draft as teams “love a lot about him” according to NBL commentator and analyst Liam Santamaria.

Santamaria spoke to Hampton’s father Rod Hampton last week to discuss RJ’s pre-draft work which has included engaging with two-time NBA champion Mike Miller to improve his jump shot, gaining muscle and showcasing his maturity.

Hampton has put on 20 pounds of muscle since he arrived on New Zealand shores last year and recently measured 6’6” in shoes.

Santamaria has explained how those numbers and a multitude of other factors has seen Hampton’s draft stocks rocket up.

“He is rising up mock drafts. I touched base with Rod Hampton to get the insight on the work he has been doing with Mike Miller and the pre-draft process and the interviews with different teams,” Santamaria told NBL Overtime.

“They’re really excited about where he is sitting right now a couple weeks out from the draft. Teams love a lot about him.

“The big question mark coming into this process was the jump shot and he has done seriously good work with Mike Miller in that regard and he is reaping the benefits that teams are really excited and impressed by the improvement he has shown.

“Really what stands out with him in this process is his maturity. The kid is really impressive when you sit down with him, and we knew that from the day we first met him and we had him on the show, you listen to the way he speaks.

“When you combine his maturity with his incredible natural athleticism, his work ethic and his motor, you’ve got a really great prospect there and a guy you can work with.

“Talking to people, talking to the Hamptons, talking to people around NBA teams, I would be shocked if he doesn’t get picked in the lottery.

“We see guys like Tyler Herro, Devin Booker, Bam Adebayo, these guys that go at 12, 13, 14, you can often get great talent in that range.

“Anyone that has RJ Hampton right now in the late teens or the early 20s is sleeping on this kid because he is going to be a really good NBA player and right now a lot of teams are starting to recognise the potential that he has.”

The Athletic draft expert Sam Vecenie placed Hampton at number 12 in his most recent mock draft.

This is a rise from pick 21 in Vecenie’s previous mock draft, with him writing “it’s hard for me to see him (Hampton) getting outside of the lottery at this stage”.

Vecenie added Hampton’s range “seems to be anywhere from No. 7 down to No. 15 or so”.

Speaking at a virtual draft combine media session last week, Hampton said playing in the NBL and bypassing college gives him an edge over some other NBA prospects.

“I think the overseas experience helped me a lot,” Hampton said.

“Playing against grown men, being on a professional team, I think that’s enough in itself.

“I feel like with my basketball play, learning how to be a pro and learning some things that I think I wouldn’t have learnt in college.

“I definitely think that going overseas and being professional for a year and playing against grown men definitely gives me a little bit of an edge over some college players.”

The NBA Draft is scheduled for November 18.

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