R. J. Hampton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
R. J. Hampton

Hampton with the Orlando Magic in 2022
Free agent
Shooting guard / point guard
Personal information
Born	(2001-02-07) February 7, 2001 (age 24) Dallas, Texas, U.S.
High school	Little Elm (Little Elm, Texas)
Listed height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight	175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	2020 / Round: 1 / Pick: 24th overall
Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks
Pro career	2019–present
Career history
2019–2020	New Zealand Breakers
2020–2021	Denver Nuggets
2021–2023	Orlando Magic
2022–2023	→Lakeland Magic
2023	Detroit Pistons
2023–2024	Miami Heat
2023–2024	→Sioux Falls Skyforce
2024	Capital City Go-Go
Medals Men's Basketball Representing  United States FIBA U17 World Cup Gold 2018 Argentina Team FIBA Americas U16 Championship Gold 2017 Argentina Team

Roderick Deon Hampton Jr. (born February 7, 2001) is an American professional basketball player. He recently played for the Capital City Go-Go team in the NBA G League. R. J. was a top-ranked high school basketball player from Little Elm High School in Little Elm, Texas. The Milwaukee Bucks picked him as the 24th player in the 2020 NBA draft.

High School Basketball Journey

R. J. Hampton started playing for the varsity basketball team at Little Elm High School in Little Elm, Texas, when he was just a freshman. In his very first high school game in November 2016, he scored 33 points. This helped his team win 78–52.

As a freshman, R. J. was amazing. He averaged 23.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. He also helped Little Elm achieve a great record of 29 wins and 5 losses. He was recognized as one of the best freshmen in the country.

In 2017, R. J. thought about moving to a different school, Montverde Academy in Florida. But he decided to stay at Little Elm. During the 2017–18 season, he continued to shine. He averaged 30.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, and six assists per game. His team finished with 28 wins and 8 losses.

R. J. had some incredible games in his junior year. In December 2018, he scored 33 points in a big win. Later that month, he set a personal best with 50 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists in one game. In February 2019, he scored 50 points again in another game.

As a junior, R. J. averaged 32 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game. His strong play helped Little Elm get a 24–10 record. In March 2019, he won the Texas Gatorade Player of the Year award. He was the first player who wasn't a senior to win it since 2013.

In April 2019, R. J. made a big decision. He decided to finish high school early by taking online classes. This meant he would graduate a year ahead of schedule. He did this so he could start his professional basketball career sooner.

Becoming a Top Recruit

R. J. Hampton was considered one of the best young basketball players in the country. Many experts ranked him among the top six players in the 2019 class. Before he decided to finish high school early, he was also seen as a top player for the 2020 class. He thought about playing college basketball for teams like Kansas, Memphis, or Texas Tech.

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes

Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	Commit date
R. J. Hampton PG	Little Elm, TX	Little Elm (TX)	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	180 lb (82 kg)	—
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:   ESPN grade: 96
Overall recruiting rankings:   Rivals: 6  247Sports: 5  ESPN: 5
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources:

Professional Basketball Career

Playing in New Zealand (2019–2020)

Instead of going to college, R. J. Hampton chose to start his professional career. In May 2019, he signed a deal with the New Zealand Breakers. This team plays in the NBL, which is based in Australia. He wanted to "live like a pro" and play against experienced adult players.

R. J. joined the Breakers through a special program called NBL Next Stars. This program helps young players who might want to play in the NBA later. He made his professional debut in September 2019. He scored 11 points and had four assists in his first game. A few days later, he scored a season-high 20 points.

In December 2019, R. J. had to miss about a month of games because of a hip injury. He returned in January 2020. He left the Breakers in February 2020 to get ready for the NBA draft. In 15 NBL games, he averaged 8.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game.

Joining the NBA: Denver Nuggets (2020–2021)

The Milwaukee Bucks picked R. J. Hampton as the 24th player in the 2020 NBA draft. However, his draft rights were soon traded to the Denver Nuggets. This trade involved three other teams. The Nuggets officially signed R. J. in December 2020. He played 25 games for the Nuggets. He averaged 2.6 points and 2.0 rebounds in about nine minutes per game.

Playing for the Orlando Magic (2021–2023)

In March 2021, R. J. Hampton was traded to the Orlando Magic. He was traded along with Gary Harris and a future draft pick. In exchange, the Magic sent Aaron Gordon and Gary Clark to the Nuggets.

In April 2021, R. J. started his first NBA game for the Magic. He scored 16 points and had four rebounds. In May, he was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month. This was a great achievement for a young player.

In February 2023, the Magic decided to release R. J. from their team.

Detroit Pistons (2023)

After leaving the Magic, R. J. Hampton signed with the Detroit Pistons in February 2023. He played for them for a few months. The Pistons then released him in June 2023.

Miami Heat (2023–2024)

In September 2023, R. J. signed a special contract called a two-way contract with the Miami Heat. This type of contract allows players to play for both the NBA team and its G League team. He played for the Heat until February 2024, when he was released.

Capital City Go-Go (2024)

In February 2024, R. J. Hampton joined the Capital City Go-Go team. This team is part of the NBA G League. He briefly signed a 10-day contract with the Washington Wizards in March 2024 but did not play in any games for them. He then rejoined the Capital City Go-Go.

Playing for Team USA

R. J. Hampton has also played for the United States national team. He won a gold medal at the 2017 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship. In that tournament, he averaged nine points and 3.2 rebounds per game.

He won another gold medal with the national team at the 2018 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup. However, he was limited to playing in only two games because of a foot injury.

Career Statistics

NBA

NBL

Personal Life

R. J. Hampton's father, Rod Hampton, also played college basketball. He played for SMU from 1987 to 1991. R. J.'s grandfather, Richard Evans, served in the Vietnam War.

See also

In Spanish: R. J. Hampton para niños