Ja Morant Solid, RJ Hampton Struggles as Grizzlies Beat New Zealand Breakers
RJ Hampton will surely be in the NBA one day, but Tuesday's showdown with Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies proved he still has work to do before the 2020 draft.
The Grizzlies defeated Hampton's New Zealand Breakers 108-94 in a preseason game at the FedExForum. The point guard showdown between Morant, who was the No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft, and Hampton, who chose to play in Australia's National Basketball League instead of colleges such as Kansas or Duke, was the main attraction.
Morant was quiet in the scoring department with just four points, but he got the best of the matchup with 10 assists, five rebounds and impressive defense.
He helped hold Hampton to just 1-of-8 shooting from the field for two points, six rebounds and one assist.
Memphis was expected to win, but the Breakers are no international pushovers. They have won four NBL titles since 2012 and added plenty of talent in Hampton, who was a 5-star recruit and the No. 5 overall player in the class of 2019, per 247Sports' composite rankings.
The clash with Morant was something of a measuring stick for him, seeing as how the Murray State product is known for his explosiveness on the break, ability to extend his offensive game to the perimeter, tendency to hit teammates with impressive passing and a willingness to battle for boards.
Yet, it was Grayson Allen—perhaps motivated by the opponent's decision not to attend Duke—who sent a message to Hampton with a block in transition:
Morant would not be outdone, shining with his impressive vision throughout and making a point of setting up his teammates instead of just going after Hampton. Jaren Jackson Jr. may have learned a thing or two from his point guard and turned heads with a touch pass out of the post:
The future of the Grizzlies was on full display in the game with Morant, Jackson (18 points, nine rebounds and three blocks) and Brandon Clarke (six points and 12 rebounds) all doing a little bit of everything.
While there will surely be some growing pains for the team in the daunting Western Conference, there is plenty of reason for optimism.
The Grizzlies now have some time off and will face the Charlotte Hornets on Monday.
