Why RJ Hampton picked New Zealand over college basketball

RJ Hampton shocked the college basketball world by skipping college and choosing to play pro ball with the New Zealand Breakers of the Australian National Basketball League.

RJ Hampton made the uncommon decision to skip college in favor of playing professional basketball with the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian National Basketball League. It’s not often a recruit turns down a chance to play for Kansas, Duke or Kentucky to go to the other side of the world, so let’s break down Hampton’s decision and whether it could be a start of a trend.

Why did RJ Hampton skip college?

Hampton was the No. 5 recruit according to ESPN and whittled down his list of offers to Texas Tech, Memphis and Kansas. Hampton was also recruited by Duke and Kentucky, among other college basketball blue bloods. But Hampton said playing college basketball was never his dream.

“My No. 1 goal is to play in the NBA,” Hampton told ESPN. “I wanted to be an NBA player before I ever wanted to be a college player. This is about getting ready for the next level faster and more efficiently.”

It’s an unconventional way of thinking, but as long as high schoolers aren’t allowed to directly enter the NBA, it will be an option for athletes to consider.

Will Hampton’s decision start a trend?

Hampton isn’t the first high-profile recruit to skip college in favor of playing professionally overseas. Brandon Jennings, Emmanuel Mudiay, Terrance Ferguson and Brian Bowen have all bypassed college for varying reasons before entering the NBA Draft. In these instances, it was related to grades and/or NCAA corruption sanctions. But, for Hampton, he didn’t have any academic or eligibility issues.

I don’t think Hampton’s decision has the NCAA trembling in fear of a mass exodus of recruits shunning college to play overseas in China, Australia or Europe. There could be a few exceptions, but the Zion Williamsons, RJ Barretts and James Wisemans of the world are all going to pick among the best college basketball programs to foster their games before going to the NBA. The NBA G League could lead to a few recruits taking that path if they are facing financial hardship or can’t meet NCAA academic minimum requirements. However, they too will be the exceptions, not the rule.

Will Hampton regret his decision?

Hampton said education is important to him and his family while explaining his decision to skip out on college. His reasoning is he will be able to develop as a basketball quicker without having to focus on academics. He defended his choice by saying he can always go back to college but his time to play basketball is limited.

“Education is a big thing in our family, but this is about focusing 100 percent on basketball,” Hampton told ESPN. “You can always go back to college, but there’s only a short window as an athlete where you can play professional basketball, and I want to take advantage of that. I think that challenging yourself on a daily basis is the best way to improve.”

Hampton is fully entitled to make this decision, but it’s not one I would have made. I would rather learn from the likes of Mike Krzyzewski, Tom Izzo, Bill Self or John Calipari than the coaches in Australia. I’d rather put myself on national TV in the United States to allow for maximum exposure, and so my family could watch. I would want to play in March Madness and play against other players my age.

That doesn’t mean Hampton is wrong in the least for his decision. It’s just he’s in the minority who think this decision is the best one to get to the NBA.

How much will Hampton make in the league?

Part of Hampton’s salary will be paid by the league, not the team, as part of the Next Stars Program. The standard contract would pay Hampton $100,000 as part of the multi-year agreement he signed, that includes NBA outs. According to Bloomberg, however, Hampton would “far surpass that, although no specific dollar amount was given.

The argument over paying student-athletes has intensified in recent years. I think they should be paid. Would $100,000 from a college be enough to make Hampton change his mind? It’s not like this is a seven-figure deal that makes him a millionaire.

How will it affect Hampton’s draft stock?

Hampton, a Dallas native, cited Dallas Mavericks rookie point guard, Luke Doncic as one of his favorite players to watch. He credits Dončić’s professional career in Europe for helping him transition to the NBA.

“Seeing how he came into the NBA and being arguably the best rookie in the NBA shows you that you don’t have to go to college to be successful,” Hampton told ESPN. “Playing professionally against men helped him get to where he is now.

Hampton is citing Dončić, the exception, as the rule. International players like Dončić, Marc and Pau Gasol, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and Dirk Nowitzki, among others all bypassed college in the United States to play professionally overseas. They weren’t American players leaving their home country to play professionally abroad. That’s the big difference. While it worked for Dončić, college also worked quite well for Zion Williamson, this year’s projected top pick, DeAndre Ayton, last year’s top pick who went two spots before Dončić, and really, everyone else in the NBA not named LeBron James.

Playing overseas didn’t help LiAngelo Ball who bypassed college to play in Lithuania. That was a disaster. Is Hampton walking into a similar disaster? No, not to that extent, but Hampton, as talented as he is, will be competing against grown men and isn’t guaranteed of starting or a certain amount of minutes. What if he averaged 12 minutes per game and six points per game? Surely, he’d put up much better numbers at Kansas, Texas Tech or Memphis.

Hampton is projected to be a lottery pick, but that could change. Jennings went 10th after playing in Italy after high school, Mudiay went seventh overall after playing in China and Ferguson went 21st. Jennings had the best career of the trio, but it’s not a high bar to reach. Will people forget about Hampton now that he’ll be on the other side of the world? Not entirely, he’ll still be scouted, and international players receive much more attention now than they did in year’s past. However, this is a significant gamble Hampton is taking, and it could cost him millions if he slides out of the lottery.

What about the schools who didn’t get Hampton?

No one will be crying over Kansas losing out on a top recruit. The Jayhawks at least received the good news that Silvio De Sousa will be eligible this year. Memphis has the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class, so they really didn’t even have room for Hampton, although they would have welcomed him. Texas Tech would have loved to plug Hampton in for Jarrett Culver, but they have a top-15 class on the heels of playing in the National Championship Game.