Little Elm (Texas) point guard R.J. Hampton has put on a show all summer, pumping in 27 points per game for Mudiay Elite (Texas) in route to leading the Under Armour Association in scoring.
That kind of production not only has college basketball heavyweights like Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and many others all in hot pursuit, it’s also got Hampton debating on whether he’s ready to suit up at one of those schools a year early.
“It’s still open for discussion with me and my family,” Hampton said of reclassifying from 2020 to 2019. “We’re just taking our time and thinking it through.”
Hampton admitted that his hectic travel schedule this summer hasn’t afforded him the time to hammer out the details with his family, but said that would happen soon.
As for the pros of jumping up a class, Hampton said getting to college earlier would help him grow as a player in every regard.
“Just being in a college program I’d be getting my body together at a higher level, I’d play against the best competition every day in practice and everything like that,” said Hampton, who is ranked No. 2 overall in USA Today Sports’ Chosen 25. “It would help me out a lot in every way.”
[jwplayer oPcyRRNo-BmKM743H]Still, Hampton said his No. 1 goal this coming high school season is to win a state title.
“That puts a lot of pressure on me to get it done now,” Hampton said. “The other thing is that I’d be leaving a year before my senior year and leaving all of my friends and things like that. It’s not an easy decision.”
For that reason, Hampton said he pick the brain of his friend Tyrese Maxey.
Maxey, a point guard at South Garland (Texas) who is ranked No. 6 overall in the Chosen 25 for 2019, debated moving from 2019 to 2018 this spring.
He eventually decided to stay put and committed to Kentucky in May.
“He jokes around with me telling me to reclass and come with him to Kentucky in 2019,” Hampton said. “I’d just want to know all of the things he thought about when he was deciding and what ultimately made him stay in his class. I’m gonna take my time and talk it out and come up with a decision soon.”
Follow Jason Jordan on Twitter: @JayJayUSATODAY
bask
