With the No. 24 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the New Orleans Pelicans have selected guard RJ Hampton. The former New Zealand Breakers standout is being dealt from New Orleans to the Denver Nuggets, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports.
The Texas native was a consensus top-five prospect in last year's recruitment class but turned down offers from numerous blue-blood programs in favor of starting his pro career. Like LaMelo Ball, Hampton joined Australia's NBL through its Next Stars program.
However, his time Down Under wasn't as prosperous as Ball's. Hampton averaged 8.3 points and 2.4 assists in just 20.6 minutes during an injury-shortened campaign. As a result, the 19-year-old's draft stock has dropped from the beginning of the year, though he still offers plenty of upside.
One of Hampton's weaknesses is 3-point shooting, but he's been working with former NBA sharpshooter Mike Miller on refining his jump shot.
"(We're) working from everything from my head down to my toes," Hampton told reporters, including theScore, during his NBA combine media availability in September. "So learning how to get a better base, getting my shot (release point) up higher, ball placement, slowing my shot down. Simplifying it. He's one of the best shooters ever."
Bio
Position: G
Club: New Zealand Breakers (Australia)
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 188 lbs
Wingspan: 6-foot-7
Max vertical: N/A
Strengths
- Explosive first step allows him to get to the rim with ease
- Speed demon in the open court
- Does a great job attacking opposing big men on switches
- Has size to play either guard position
- Moves well off the ball
- Flashed an ability to create for his teammates out of the pick-and-roll
Weaknesses
- Needs to improve his outside shooting; he shot only 29.5% from deep last season
- Struggles to fight through on- and off-ball screens
- Overreliance on his dominant right hand to finish
- Must build upper-body strength to absorb contact on drives
