9
R.J. Hampton Guard, New Zealand
8.8 Points, 3.9 Rebounds, 2.4 Assists, 1.1 Steals, 0.3 Blocks, 41% FG, 30% 3PT, 21 MPG
R.J. Hampton and LaMelo Ball play in the same league, but have very different stat lines. On first glance, Ball appears to be miles ahead of Hapton, but they have very different situations. Ball is being fed many more minutes and touches than Hampton is getting down in New Zealand, but has made the most of his time there.
Although still not quite as good as Ball, Hampton has done a solid job in his limited role with the Breakers. His ability to defend and rebound have been evident to this point, while his scoring has been solid as well.
In the midst of a rebuild, the Hornets should take Hampton in hopes that he blossoms into the elite talent he was projected to be out of high school. Hampton’s skill set as a combo guard will also give Charlotte flexibility in that they can search for a long-term backcourt partner for Hampton without worrying about filling a specific guard slot.
Hampton will also get to take on a decent amount of the scoring load in Charlotte, with no true star on the roster yet.
Draft Stock Trend: +2
10
Isaac Okoro Forward, Auburn
13.2 Points, 4.5 Rebounds, 1.9 Assists, 0.9 Steals, 1.0 Blocks, 57% FG, 24% 3PT, 30 MPG
Okoro was a player who had a lot of criticisms around him going into his freshman season at Auburn, but he has been able to find his game. Auburn is currently a top-five team in the nation and Okoro is arguably the team’s best player.
His defensive impact has always been elite, but his offensive game has now emerged. His jump shooting is still not exactly where it needs to be, but he has steadily improved and, perhaps most importantly, he is not afraid to shoot the long ball.
Okoro’s freakish athleticism should be a good fit on a Sacramento team that has traditionally been a downhill, high-pace group.
After dropping from near the top in pace to the close to the bottom, adding an athlete like Okoro could help De’Aaron Fox get an outlet threat on fast breaks. In addition, the small forward position is one that needs to be addressed with a young player to help round out the Kings’ core.