RJ Hampton, who was screened as a late first round pick in many jokes, met with New York Knicks executives and scouts several weeks ago on a video conference. The meeting was reported by Ian Begley of SNY.
Hampton, 19, played professionally last season in the National Basketball League (NBL), which is based in Australia. Despite being a five-star rookie out of high school in Texas, he decided to sign a multi-year deal with the New Zealand Breakers that left him the chance to jump to the NBA, as he hopes to do for the 2020-21 season.
One area the Knicks are focusing on improving this offseason is shooting. Hampton, a 1.8m 5 combo guard, has spent much of the past seven months working with former NBA sharpshooter Mike Miller, according to SNY. The two spent time working on his perimeter shot, which he used sporadically during his playing time in NBL.
Hampton has all the athletic tools – what sets him apart from being a lottery winner versus a late first-round selection is whether NBA scouts believe he can put it all together with the right development.
The Knicks have limited themselves to video calls with potential customers due to restrictions stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier this week, Athletic reported that the NBA issued revised guidelines that will allow teams to conduct market medical examinations and tests on potential customers. The NBA will film the on-court shooting practice video and distribute it to teams.