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 "R. J." Hampton Jr. was born on February 7, 2001. He is an American professional basketball player. He last played for the Capital City Go-Go in the NBA G League. R. J. was a top-rated player from Little Elm High School in Texas. The Milwaukee Bucks picked him 24th overall in the 2020 NBA draft.

High School Basketball Career

R. J. Hampton started playing varsity basketball as a freshman. He played for Little Elm High School in Little Elm, Texas. In his very first high school game on November 17, 2016, he scored 33 points. His team won 78–52 against Naaman Forest High School.

As a freshman, Hampton averaged 23.6 points per game. He also had 7.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 3.5 steals. He helped Little Elm achieve a great record of 29 wins and 5 losses. They also won the District 14-5A title. He was named to the MaxPreps Freshman All-American first team. He also received other honors, like the TABC Class 5A All-State award.

In 2017, Hampton thought about moving to Montverde Academy in Florida. But he decided to stay at Little Elm. During the 2017–18 season, Hampton's performance was even better. He averaged 30.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, and six assists per game. He also had 4.4 steals and 2.5 blocks. Little Elm finished the season with 28 wins and 8 losses. He was again named to the MaxPreps Sophomore All-American first team.

On December 14, 2018, Hampton scored 33 points in a win. He played against another talented player, Tyrese Maxey. On December 29, he had his best game yet. He scored 50 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and had seven assists. He also made six steals in an 86–62 victory. In February 2019, Hampton scored 50 points again. This time, it was in a close 83–80 loss.

As a junior, Hampton averaged 32 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 6.4 assists. He also had 3.9 steals per game. He helped Little Elm get a 24–10 record. On March 15, he won the Texas Gatorade Player of the Year. He was the first non-senior to win this award since 2013. He also earned other national honors. On April 30, Hampton decided to finish high school early. He skipped his senior year and graduated after taking online classes.

Becoming a Top Recruit

Hampton was considered a top player for college basketball. He was ranked among the best players in the 2019 recruiting class. He was a "five-star recruit," which means he was highly sought after. He considered playing for 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

New Zealand Breakers (2019–2020)

On May 28, 2019, Hampton signed a deal with the New Zealand Breakers. This team plays in the NBL, which is based in Australia. He chose to play professionally instead of going to college. He wanted to "live like a pro" and play against experienced players. Hampton joined the Breakers through their NBL Next Stars program. This program helps young players get ready for the NBA draft.

On September 20, he played his first professional game. He scored 11 points, had three rebounds, and four assists. Two days later, he scored a season-high 20 points. He also had five rebounds and three steals. On November 9, Hampton was removed from a game. This happened after a small fight with an opposing player. On December 11, he had a hip injury and missed about four weeks. He returned on January 5, 2020, scoring 11 points.

Hampton left the Breakers on February 4 to get ready for the 2020 NBA draft. In 15 NBL games, he averaged 8.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. He was expected to be one of the top 5 picks in the 2020 NBA draft.

Denver Nuggets (2020–2021)

The Milwaukee Bucks drafted Hampton as the 24th pick in the 2020 NBA draft. However, his draft rights were soon traded to the Denver Nuggets. This trade involved four teams on November 24, 2020. On December 1, 2020, the Denver Nuggets officially signed Hampton. He played 25 games for the Nuggets. He averaged 2.6 points and 2.0 rebounds in about 9 minutes per game.

Orlando Magic (2021–2023)

On March 25, 2021, Hampton was traded to the Orlando Magic. He was traded along with Gary Harris and a future draft pick. This trade was for Aaron Gordon and Gary Clark. On April 4, Hampton started his first game for the Magic. He scored 16 points, had four rebounds, and three assists. On May 17, he was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for May.

On December 29, 2022, Hampton was suspended for one game. This was because he left the bench during a fight in a game. On February 21, 2023, the Magic released Hampton from their team.

Detroit Pistons (2023)

On February 23, 2023, Hampton signed with the Detroit Pistons. He played for them for a short time. He was then released by the Pistons on June 24.

Miami Heat (2023–2024)

On September 27, 2023, Hampton signed 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 was released by the Heat on February 9, 2024.

Capital City Go-Go (2024)

On February 14, 2024, Hampton joined the Capital City Go-Go. This happened after a trade with the Sioux Falls Skyforce. On March 3, he signed a 10-day contract with the Washington Wizards. However, he did not play in any games for them. On March 13, he returned to the Capital City Go-Go.

Playing for the National Team

Hampton has won gold medals for the United States. He won gold at the 2017 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship. He played for the U.S. national under-16 team. In five games, he averaged nine points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists.

He won another gold medal at the 2018 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup. He played with the national under-17 team. He was limited to two games in this tournament because of a foot injury. Hampton averaged 7.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game.

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