Top high school basketball player R.J. Hampton skips college to play professionally

[Bobbyplaza133]

Top high school basketball player R.J. Hampton skips college to play professionally in New Zealand

R.J. Hampton, one of the top high school basketball players in the country, was expected to announce his college decision on Tuesday morning.

Instead, he took a different route.

During a segment on ESPN’s “Get Up,” Hampton announced that he decided to play professionally in New Zealand instead of taking the more common “one-and-done” route. Hampton, a five-star recruit from Texas, recently announced three finalists: Kansas, Memphis and Texas Tech. However, he has signed an undisclosed contract with the New Zealand Breakers, a team that plays in the National Basketball League, the professional league based out of Australia and New Zealand.

Hampton told Rivals.com that he feels like this decision will best prepare him for the 2020 NBA draft.

“I feel like this was the best opportunity for me to get ready for the NBA as quickly as possible because that is my ultimate goal,” he told Rivals.com. “I think that it is a safer route for players to go instead of going to college, in my opinion.”

A historic decision

Hampton, a 6-foot-5 guard, was originally a class of 2020 prospect but decided in April to jump up to 2019 in an effort to find better competition and get to the NBA a year sooner. A month later, he has landed on a different path altogether — one that has never been taken by a prospect of his ilk.

A few other American teenagers — like Brandon Jennings, Emmanuel Mudiay, Terrance Ferguson and Brian Bowen — have gone overseas instead of spending a year in college, but all four faced eligibility questions. Hampton did not have those issues lingering over him. He simply wants to get a jump-start on his professional career without having to go through the charade of less than a year in college.

“I expect to get a whole pro experience without being in the NBA,” he told Rivals.com. “I want to live like a pro, play and prepare myself like one, too.”

Hampton is hoping to follow in Ferguson’s footsteps. Ferguson committed to Arizona out of high school but decided instead to play for the Adelaide 36ers. After one season in Australia, Ferguson was selected No. 21 overall in the 2017 NBA draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Ferguson’s successful stint in the NBL resulted in the league starting a program called “Next Stars,” in an effort to attract more talented American prospects looking to bypass college for a professional career.

Bowen, who played for the Sydney Kings after his father was embroiled in the federal college basketball trial, was the first to enter the league via the Next Stars program. Hampton is the second.

‘One-and-done’ era nearing an end?

Players following this path could be the latest blow to the one-and-done rule that requires players to be 19 years or older, effectively forcing top-tier prospects to play in college for a year.

However, the rule is reportedly on the way out. Multiple outlets reported earlier this year that the draft-eligible age could be lowered to 18 by the 2022 draft. Once that comes to fruition, high school players can go straight to the NBA like Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and others did before the rule change in 2006.

[Rareairx23]

thanks for posting this. I hope more recruits go this route honestly, the one and done needs to go like now imo.

[Doublexthebeast]

I think this is actually a good thing and I can respect his decision. It sucks because it will be tougher to watch him play but I agree with the kid wanting to start training/acting like a pro immediately.

[SDcardguy24]

Good for him getting paid!

[Siberian13]

Suck it NCAA!

[smalltown]

I'd take a paid trip to New Zealand and Australia to play basketball over going to a NCAA school every day of the week. Good on him. Hope he enjoys his time there.

[gomiamigo]

I feel the complete opposite, except for the getting paid part. Going to a UNC or Kansas Or Texas or Mich is way more fun and you're building a lifelong network from Day One. Almost all the pro players will tell you how much they enjoyed college and being surrounded by other college students and learning from them. Kobe's said not going is one of his biggest regrets. KD talks often about how much that year at UT meant to him.

I don't have anything bad to say about him chasing the money though.

[buckunteer]

Option certainly makes sense to me. Make some money, get some solid training on how to be a pro. Avoid the ridiculous NCAA rule pitfalls. Seems like a win all around.

[smalltown]

Originally Posted by gomiamigo

Going to a UNC or Kansas Or Texas or Mich is way more fun

I think that's all in the eye of the beholder. I wouldn't choose it. I'd rather go to Australia/New Zealand and live and train for 6 months. Living in Aukland during the summer months trumps any of those college cities. Plus i don't have to worry about the pretences of school and pretend i'm a student.

[yiguiri2002]

Whatever anyone prefers, the good thing is kids have more choices now.

[smalltown]

Originally Posted by yiguiri2002

Whatever anyone prefers, the good thing is kids have more choices now.

This is the key. Although they've had choices before. Kids are just more willing to explore them now.

[ljandkg]

As a NZ Breakers fan this will be interesting. Hampton is obviously a great prospect, but the NBL is a good league and he'll be playing seasoned pros. Refereeing is different here than in the States and takes some adjusting to.

As a fan we'll either get a guard who stars and the team will improve, or he'll struggle and it'll be an experiment that ends in disaster.

[ClipsandVols]

Originally Posted by ljandkg

As a NZ Breakers fan this will be interesting. Hampton is obviously a great prospect, but the NBL is a good league and he'll be playing seasoned pros. Refereeing is different here than in the States and takes some adjusting to.

As a fan we'll either get a guard who stars and the team will improve, or he'll struggle and it'll be an experiment that ends in disaster.

Hope he does great for your Breakers. I'm a big fan of the move personally. No point in him playing college basketball if he's never wanted to.

[Archangel1775]

Originally Posted by smalltown

I'd take a paid trip to New Zealand and Australia to play basketball over going to a NCAA school every day of the week. Good on him. Hope he enjoys his time there.

Yup and once his NBA career is complete, he can always go back to college. They'll all still be there.

[asujbl]

Originally Posted by smalltown

I think that's all in the eye of the beholder. I wouldn't choose it. I'd rather go to Australia/New Zealand and live and train for 6 months. Living in Aukland during the summer months trumps any of those college cities. Plus i don't have to worry about the pretences of school and pretend i'm a student.

Do chicks there know who you are though?

[ninjacookies]

He'll be the best NBA player named RJ in 4 years.

Good on him. Hope more go this route. Surprised he didn't choose China though. That's where all the money is at.

sidenote: he looks like Exum. Hope his career doesn't fare the same.

[ThoseBackPages]

Luka knew!

[Eckstein197]

Love that he’s playing on the Breakers, especially as a huge Barstool sports fan. Will definitely be collecting him once he’s drafted.

Any New Zealand cards for this league?

[Eckstein197]

Also the NCAA sucks majorly so anyone choosing to go a different route I’m supportive of.

[drobfan8]

I'd love to see more talent coming our way. Good way to earn a few hundred thousand also and an awesome lifestyle.

[drobfan8]

Originally Posted by ninjacookies

He'll be the best NBA player named RJ in 4 years.

Good on him. Hope more go this route. Surprised he didn't choose China though. That's where all the money is at.

sidenote: he looks like Exum. Hope his career doesn't fare the same.

Agreed. NBL doesn't pay that much

Originally Posted by Eckstein197

Love that he’s playing on the Breakers, especially as a huge Barstool sports fan. Will definitely be collecting him once he’s drafted.

Any New Zealand cards for this league?

Not any more I don't think. The 90s though

[PrimeTimePlaya]

Hopefully he hooks up with a Kiwi girl and we have our own Ben Simmons in 20 years...

[ND3]

No better place to showcase your skills then in college game.

Kid knew he didn't want to be a student athlete. Smart move.

[regularp]

Originally Posted by gomiamigo

I feel the complete opposite, except for the getting paid part. Going to a UNC or Kansas Or Texas or Mich is way more fun and you're building a lifelong network from Day One. Almost all the pro players will tell you how much they enjoyed college and being surrounded by other college students and learning from them. Kobe's said not going is one of his biggest regrets. KD talks often about how much that year at UT meant to him.

I don't have anything bad to say about him chasing the money though.

I'm 100% supportive of what this kid's doing. The top argument for going to college at this point is the exposure.

Think of how big Zion already is and the endorsements he's going to be rolling in because of his year at Duke. If he went overseas first, he'd be getting far less in that regard.

[mfw13]

The only surprise to me is that he chose to go to New Zealand instead of Europe, where the talent level is higher.