RJ Hampton has had an interesting path to the NBA by heading to the Australian NBL first. After turning a lot of heads as a high school prospect, his future in the NBA could be very bright. Hampton grew up in Little Elm, Texas, a suburb in the DFW area, so being drafted by the Dallas Mavericks is something that has surely crossed his mind before. Here’s why taking a guy like Hampton could be a risky move with the potential for high reward.
The Specs
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 188
Wingspan: 6’7”
Key Notes
Offense
- Extreme athleticism
- Very young, lots of confidence
- Not the best 3-point shooter
- Needs to improve his shot overall
- Very good in transition
- Quick and bouncy
- Good touch around the rim
- Free throw shooting could use improvement
- Good vision
Defense
- Very lean and quick, needs to put on some muscle
- Not the best off-ball defender
- Decent anticipation, ability to read situations and get steals on occasion
- Good height for a guard
- Length and speed allow him to get out in transition and run
- Could be targeted on switches down low
- High vertical allows him to shot block as a guard
- Many scouts say he “needs improvement” overall defensively
Active Player Comparisons
If everything goes wrong: Jared Cunningham
If everything goes right: Zach Lavine
Most Realistic Outcome: Dennis Smith Jr.