Report: RJ Hampton 'More Likely' to Be Taken from No. 11-22 in 2020 NBA Draft

RJ Hampton went overseas to the National Basketball League instead of college to prepare for being a top pick in the NBA draft, but the 19-year-old reportedly may have to wait longer than some expect to hear his name called.

Sam Vecenie of The Athletic reported "it's more likely that Hampton hears his name called somewhere from [No.] 11 to 22 or so than it is within the top 10, based on the feedback I'm getting right now."

Vecenie suggested Hampton "didn't have a great situation to thrive in Australia" and could have used the predraft workout process more than other prospects. However, the process is sure to look much different this year—if it happens at all—because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Hampton played against professionals in the NBL instead of college players, and NBA teams will surely take into account the fact he faced a more difficult situation when it came to putting up notable box scores.

Still, Vecenie pointed to a number of concerns, including struggles in half-court sets, a lack of efficiency when attacking the basket, "a lack of lift and bend," and a jump shot that "is going to require a lot of work."

The scouting report praised the 6'5", 176-pound guard for his passing abilities and tendency to limit turnovers, underscoring his potential as a creator with the ball who can beat defenses in transition.

However, his best trait is supposed to be scoring, and he was far from consistent in that category with 8.8 points per game.

Vecenie also called his defense "pretty awful," although some of that can be attributed to the higher level of talent that he was tasked with stopping at a young age.

Taken together, this creates a situation where NBA teams will have to evaluate the success Hampton enjoyed as a high school prospect combined with the struggles overseas. The Texas native was 247Sports' No. 5 prospect out of high school, and the opportunity to learn in an NBA system and play off talented go-to options would likely help his offense and create more open looks.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected him to go No. 8 overall in a March mock draft, suggesting the "element of mystery" that comes with his small sample size that was impacted by a hip injury could work in his favor "in a draft that lacks obvious star power."

Wasserman pointed to his overall athleticism and potential as a jump shooter even if he didn't consistently show it overseas as positive traits to build around for NBA teams.

Where Hampton goes will be one of the draft's most intriguing storylines, as all it takes is one team to think he is worthy of a top-10 selection.