R.J. Hampton sets date for college announcement

By Matt Tait May 24, 2019

R.J. Hampton during his official visit to Kansas

Five-star prospect R.J. Hampton, the No. 6-ranked player in Rivals.com’s 2019 rankings and top Kansas target, announced on Twitter on Friday afternoon that he had picked a date to reveal his college decision.

“The time has come,” Hampton Tweeted. “Watch Get Up ESPN on Tuesday, May 28. I have an announcement to make.”

This news on the same day that [Kansas learned that Silvio De Sousa had won his appeal][1] and would be eligible for the 2019-20 season, sent the Kansas fan base into a frenzy. But until Hampton actually announces there no doubt will still be some uncertainty surrounding the 6-foot-5 guard’s future and whether KU is a part of it.

Hampton’s father, Rod Hampton, earlier this week, said [his son likely would wait to see which players at his three finalists stayed in the draf][2]t and which elected to return to school. But the decision date that Hampton has announced is scheduled for one day before the deadline for underclassmen to pull their names out of the 2019 draft pool.

The Little Elm, Texas, native who just finished his junior year of high school [reclassified into the 2019 class][3] several weeks ago and has been trending toward Kansas and graduation ever since.

Although Memphis and Texas Tech remain factors in the race to land Hampton, many recruiting analysts believe Kansas will be the pick.

Hampton visited KU last December and has said he might come again in the near future, when best friend and KU target Jalen Wilson makes his visit to Kansas May 30-June 1. If he does, it appears it could be as a committed member of the Kansas program.

If he doesn’t, his decision on Tuesday will likely lead him somewhere else.

One way or another, KU fans likely will know early next week whether this latest Top 10 talent is on his way to joining the Jayhawks.

[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2019/may/24/silvio-de-sousa-wins-appeal-becomes-eligible-play-/
[2]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2019/may/23/report-hampton-family-waiting-see-who-stays-nba-dr/
[3]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2019/apr/30/5-star-kansas-target-rj-hampton-officially-reclass/

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Written By Matt Tait

A native of Colorado, Matt moved to Lawrence in 1988 and has been in town ever since. He graduated from Lawrence High in 1996 and the University of Kansas in 2000 with a degree in Journalism. After covering KU sports for the University Daily Kansan and Rivals.com, Matt joined the World Company (and later Ogden Publications) in 2001 and has held several positions with the paper and KUsports.com in the past 20+ years. He became the Journal-World Sports Editor in 2018. Throughout his career, Matt has won several local and national awards from both the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Kansas Press Association. In 2021, he was named the Kansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Matt lives in Lawrence with his wife, Allison, and two daughters, Kate and Molly. When he's not covering KU sports, he likes to spend his time playing basketball and golf, listening to and writing music and traveling the world with friends and family.