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NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Pros and cons of RJ Hampton’s final 3 teams

By Tristan Freeman

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 18: RJ Hampton #5 and Jahmius Ramsey #10 of Team Ramsey pose for pictures on the court after the game against Team Stanley during the SLAM Summer Classic 2018 at Dyckman Park on August 18, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 18: RJ Hampton #5 and Jahmius Ramsey #10 of Team Ramsey pose for pictures on the court after the game against Team Stanley during the SLAM Summer Classic 2018 at Dyckman Park on August 18, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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ORLANDO, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 25: Penny Hardaway, head coach of the Memphis Tigers, watches the action during the game against the Charleston Cougars at HP Field House on November 25, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 25: Penny Hardaway, head coach of the Memphis Tigers, watches the action during the game against the Charleston Cougars at HP Field House on November 25, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

Memphis Tigers

Pros

After landing both Boogie Ellis and Precious Achiuwa, Penny Hardaway and Memphis Basketball now has the No. 1 overall class for 2019. It could end up as one of the historic groups if Hampton comes along to join fellow five-star commits Achiuwa and center James Wiseman, ranked No. 1 overall individually.

As much notoriety as Kansas gets, the Tigers would be the darlings of NCAA Basketball, ranking in the top-10 overall in the preseason and getting many eyeballs. There’s also less competition at the guard spot, allowing Hampton to play and start at whichever position he preferred. The AAC is also a stepdown compared to the Big 12, allowing him to flourish and really showcase his skills.

Cons

Hardaway has shown how great he is as a recruiter but how will he be as a head coach? He gets a pass from me for this past season as he was coaching a roster that wasn’t his and wasn’t expected to make the NCAA Tournament. But as talented as this roster is on paper, it’s still extremely young. How will he handle this group of guys with just one ball to go around? Hardaway is still unproven compared to the other two involved head coaches for Hampton and the AAC isn’t the best league to be in for exposure.

There’s also the situation involving grad transfer Rayjon Tucker, a 6’5 guard who averaged over 20 ppg at Little Rock. There are “rumors” that he may not be academically eligible to play for the Tigers and could end up staying in the NBA Draft. If he’s not going to be around, that make Memphis more viable an option for Hampton. As high as the ceiling seems to be for this program, the risks and questions surrounding this team right now makes it a tricky landing spot for Hampton and his top goals.

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