Milwaukee Bucks NBA Draft Prospect Watch: R.J. Hampton

Fit with the Bucks

The thought of Hampton slipping within range of where the Bucks will be selecting in the first round would have been unthinkable a year ago. And it’s a line of thinking that may not even come to pass whenever the draft is held.

But Hampton’s underwhelming year in the NBL, at least compared to the expectations coming into the season, definitely does open the door in what will obviously be a pre-draft process unlike any other.

Now, whether Hampton fits the profile of a Bucks draft pick is an interesting question and does have a chance of being explored, if he truly does fall out of the lottery.

The 19-year-old’s athletic prowess and potential to “pass, dribble, shoot,” a favorite draft mantra of Bucks general manager Jon Horst, has long been the main appeal of his game in his rise as a prospect. For a Bucks team that has a championship-contending core in place, there’s a runway for Hampton to solely develop and improve upon his raw tools and gain reps on the G League level or even in a very supporting, limited role from the jump.

While the perception of Hampton’s ability to contribute instantly may have been a reach, given his struggles down under, the Bucks’ system and how it’s arranged could open the possibility for Hampton to carve out a place as the team is currently constructed.

Clearly, Hampton’s talents and potential as an incredibly explosive slasher on the ball is very plain to see and there are ways to envision Hampton becoming a useful contributor defensively, given the athleticism he possesses.

Hampton’s profile and alluring set of tools will likely lead to him fulfilling the lottery projection that has followed him over the last couple of years, despite his very theoretical skill set at this time. That raw talent may be too good to pass up, even with the many pressing questions that hang over him.