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RJ Hampton signed with New Zealand team ‘probably like a month ago’

SLAM Summer Classic 2018

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 18: RJ Hampton #5 of Team Ramsey heads for the net as Josh Christopher #3 of Team Stanley defends 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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RJ Hampton surprised many earlier this week when he decided to bypass college basketball by signing with the New Zealand Breakers of the Australian pro league. Until then, Kansas, Memphis and Texas Tech had held out hope that it would land a five-star prospect late in the recruiting cycle that would provide an instant and dramatic boost to any of the program’s 2019-20 fortunes.

Turns out, they all stopped having a chance quite awhile ago.

Hampton decided to play overseas and signed his contract with New Zealand “probably like a month ago,” he said in a Bleacher Report video.

“Some people would say it to my face, like, are thinking of going overseas?” Hampton said. “I’d be like, ‘I have my top three, Kansas, Memphis and (Texas) Tech.’”

It’s a decision that certainly impacts those three programs immediately, but it’ll remain to be seen how many other prep players pursue the same route as Hampton. It’s been a little-traveled path in the nearly 15 years since the NBA’s one-and-done rule was put in place.

“The response has been great from my friends and my family, like my teammates from my AAU team to high high school team, jsut everyone in my city. Everyone is just happy for me,” Hampton said. “My dream is to just go to New Zealand, play for five months and then go to the NBA and start my NBA career.”

The fans - and coaching staffs - of Kansas, Memphis and Texas Tech probably would have liked to have that information a month ago, but when you’re a five-star prospect like Hampton with options galore, you get to make the rules and set the timetable.