Why Did RJ Hampton Choose to Play Overseas?
R.J. Hampton, currently ranked as the 5th best prospect in ESPN’s Class of 2019, announced today that he will be playing overseas in Australia for the New Zealand Breakers this upcoming season. Hampton narrowed down his top college choices to Kansas, Memphis, and Texas Tech. Here are possible reasons why Hampton chose the overseas route instead of the traditional college path to the NBA:
- He will immediately be a Professional- The moment R.J. Hampton lands in New Zealand, he will be considered a professional basketball player and will have the opportunity to play against older, more mature competition similar to what he will see in the NBA. On ESPN’s “Get Up” he said, “My dream has never been to play college basketball.” That’s a strong statement coming from the re-classified senior. There are also rumors of 5-star prospect, LaMelo Ball, joining him in New Zealand as well. Simply, Hampton realizes his talent level and wants to play against competition that will best prepare him for the next level.
- Hampton can just focus on basketball- If Hampton would have chosen one of his top three schools (Kansas, Memphis, Texas Tech), he would be considered a “student-athlete.” In New Zealand, Hampton will be just be considered an athlete and will not have to worry about school, the media, and many of the other distractions that comes with being a high-major college basketball player. Instead, he can fully develop his game overseas with his focus solely on basketball. This approach has paid dividends for NBA players including Luca Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis, and Terrance Ferguson. Hopefully, Hampton will continue this trend.
- He will be paid- With the injury of Zion Williamson last season, many argued why college basketball players should be paid, or even allowed to enter the draft out of high school. R.J. Hampton recognizes his talent level as a consensus top-5 pick in next year’s NBA Draft, regardless of his decision to attend college. Hampton will be paid a tax-free salary playing professionally in New Zealand and will go on to be a top-5 pick in the NBA Draft next year. The move to New Zealand allows Hampton to profit from his basketball talents sooner than later.
