2020 NBA Mock Draft: Looking to the future after a chaotic 2019 draft
4. player. 142. . G/F. New Zealand Breakers. R.J. Hampton
You can’t watch Hampton and not think of Zach LaVine. The former UCLA star is a generational athlete — perhaps the best overall athlete in the entire NBA — but Hampton isn’t far behind.
Hampton has the type of sudden explosive leaping and sprinting ability that likely made him a target for basketball coaches from grade school on. Like LaVine, the young man right now has a way to go refining his game. When it comes to creating separation, Hampton has one go-to move, an in and out dribble that gave him enough space to blow by most high school defenders. That handle and electric open-court speed made it easy for Hampton to grab the ball and beat everyone down the court for an easy basket.
His life will be harder in Australia’s National Basketball League. The reputation of that league speaks for itself — it is full of strong, physical guys who play the right way. Many have come to the NBA and had success simply by shooting, playing intelligently, and harnessing their strength to make an impact on defense. Hampton will be playing against poor men’s Joe Ingles and Andrew Bogut type players every night. That’s far tougher than what college basketball could have provided night to night.
So the opportunity is as big as the challenge for Hampton, now. Sports Illustrated analyst Jeremy Woo put it well in his early 2020 big board:
"“He should be far enough out of the national spotlight to avoid some of the nitpicking, but his games will remain heavily scouted by NBA teams. High-level decision makers simply haven’t seen as much of him, due to the fact he reclassified and became 2020-eligible so late in the process.”"