Hoops

RJ Hampton - How will he go in our league

I honestly don't know what people mean by "low risk"?
This isn't NFL or Hockey.

There are random injuries, like getting smacked in the head, which you really can't avoid unless you stay off the court.

Then there are your "repetitive strain" type injuries, players wear out cartilage, strain muscles, and tear ligaments just by playing. You'd hope as a young man in his prime he's be less prone to such things.

A lot of injuries come from just bad/unplanned movement, landing badly, turning sharply, hyper-extending. Sometimes those injuries occur at practice. Unless he trains and plays at medium pace, and refuses to take jump shots or lay-ups, not sure how he can lessen those chances.

He's a skinny kid, transitioning to the adult game, and I'd expect to see him play accordingly.

He’ll have some highlights, but play a no/low risk brand of ball. Just like Fergusen.

That’s about all we could expect from any Next Gen or other gap year athlete joining the NBL for a year

Well if he was eligible, the NBA would draft him, and he'd be on millions, so obviously he will be the best player in the league.

If they start him at PG, better make sure he's wearing a diaper when he encounters Damian Martin.

NBA teams would draft kids at 12 years old if they could. Doesn't mean they'd be starting in the NBA though.

This is a high-school kid. He's never played against grown men, nor seen real defence

Zodiac is spot on. It was obvious Ferguson had so much more to play for past NBL. He rarely took it to the hole or go for any play that could potentially hurt him.

I think Hampton looks a more aggressive player than Ferguson, but there’s no way the kid comes out guns blazing playing 35 minutes a game trying to win the Championship.

We should all be stoked that talent like this wants to play here. I knew Ferguson coming to play here, then starting for OKC 2 years later would help put the NBL on the map and attract more talent

The main difference here will be minutes. Bowen and Ferguson were regularly less than 20, whereas I expect Hampton's gotten some guarantees on playing time (particularly at the 1).

To get to the 15/5/5, he'll need to play high 20s/low 30s, which I don't see being feasible early-on. My hope is he is getting that type of gametime in the latter part of the season, but I'd be happy if he can be a double-digit scorer, who is reliable from the line (Breakers PGs don't normally shoot well from the line), with more than 3.5apg and a good A/TO rate.

The comparisons to Bowen and Ferguson aren't the best measure neither of them are/were projected top 5 picks.
Next people will say Zion can't do much in a man's league.

Ferguson and Bowen weren't great, so can't expect much. He'll he 5 or 6 ppg and 2 or 3 apg

Only one player (Sobey) averaged 15/5/5 last season, so that is definitely a bit far-fetched. Stats will depend on playing time and it's impossible to tell where he'll be in the rotation - especially given we don't even know who'll coach him yet,

I reckon he'll go pretty well.

15/5/5 is my tip. He's coming over a fairly NBA ready PG, compared to Ferguson and Bowen who were really athletic 3&D guys who were very raw. Will struggle at times but also be pretty impressive.



The real question is though...how long until AFL teams are trying to poach him?!?!

How does one play safe? Not leave the ground?

A key member of coach Gordie McLeod's bench rotation, Coenraad has succumbed to an ongoing plantar fasciitis problem and been ordered to rest for four to six weeks.

The 27-year-old Queenslander joins teammate Tyson Demos on the injury list for tomorrow night's season-opening home clash with the Sydney Kings.