R.J. Hampton on Magic Summer League Invitation: 'I Asked to Play'

The third-year pro wants to take part in the Vegas Summer League.

Jeremy Brener | Jun 29, 2022

R.J. Hampton on Magic Summer League Invitation: 'I Asked to Play' /

ORLANDO - When the Orlando Magic Summer League roster was released Wednesday, some were surprised to see third-year pro R.J. Hampton on the list.

Summer League is mostly built for rookies, second-year pros and those trying to fight for a training camp invitation. Hampton doesn't fit any of those categories, but he revealed that he requested to be on the roster.

"Yeah, I asked to play," Hampton tweeted. "Nothing like getting reps and rhythm during the summer against competition and connecting with our new rooks."

Hampton has played 115 NBA games, the most out of any player on the Summer League roster, but the third-year pro is still looking to improve his game, a welcoming sign to Magic management.

The Magic hope that playing Hampton in Vegas will give him some much-needed development as he enters the most crucial season of his career.

Hampton has been around the league since 2020 when the Denver Nuggets drafted him with the 24th pick in the draft.

After being traded in Feb. 2021 to Orlando with Gary Harris for Aaron Gordon, Hampton played in 64 games for the Magic this past season, averaging 7.6 points per game.

Once a top-5 recruit in high school, Hampton has been quiet so far during his short NBA career, but there are hopes that he can turn it around considering he just turned 21 this past February.

Hampton is expected to be part of the team's backcourt rotation next season alongside fellow third-year player Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs and former No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz.

If Hampton can continue to make strides in his game during a transformative third season in the league, he could cement his status as a key player in the Magic's rebuild moving forward.

Published Jun 29, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.