OKC Thunder – NZ Breakers preview: Glimpse of RJ Hampton, a potential future asset
By Rylan Stiles
The OKC Thunder welcome prized prospect RJ Hampton and his New Zealand Breakers on Thursday in what could be a glimpse at the team’s future.
After the OKC Thunder tipped off their preseason in Tulsa against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, the team returns to Oklahoma City and welcomes in the New Zealand Breakers to Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Tuesday night also gave the OKC Thunder a fanbase and helped some fans embrace this new youth movement in just one preseason game. Tuesday night will do much of the same. Not only because the youngsters like Hamidou Diallo, Deonte Burton, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Darius Bazley, and Terrance Ferguson will play more, but because of who they are playing against.
What to Watch for in OKC Thunder’s second preseason game
RJ Hampton
The top thing for tonight’s game to watch for is RJ Hampton, getting a front-row viewing experience to a prized prospect playing NBA competition is rare. Especially in Hampton’s case, a prospect that will not be playing Division 1 college ball where their games are not only more accessible to American fans, but also on at a more reasonable hour. For some, this is the only chance outside of highlights to truly watch Hampton play basketball on a play-to-play basis and not just the highlight montage that only spotlights the positive aspects of his game.
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This time is also important for the OKC Thunder organization as well in scouting RJ Hampton. While the first preseason game got everyone–including us–excited, a lot of people still projected the Thunder to be on the outside of the playoffs. With the Thunder projected to hold a pair of first-round picks, one of them (their own pick) could be in the range of RJ Hampton.
Even if the Thunder make the postseason, the 8th seed in the west will compile more losses than normal in a highly competitive west that does not feature a team you can take lightly. Even the Suns are no longer a laughing stock. Mix that with the new and improved lottery system, and it is a perfect combination for the OKC Thunder to jump up in range to draft one of these top prospects.
Darius Bazley
Darius Bazley’s maturity, for the second straight “game” (counting the Blue and White scrimmage as a game), was on full display. That is so impressive for a 19-year-old rookie who did not even play organized basketball a year ago, and outside of a few NBA Summer League games has not played a live game since High School.
His basketball IQ is unmatched for a young player, and he is quickly becoming one of the most exciting players to watch on the ball club. If Bazley keeps up that maturity and level of basketball IQ, he can use this preseason to earn a ton of minutes with the OKC Thunder squad. That is a huge turn around from a lot of media members projections that saw him as an OKC Blue player primarily for a year.
light. Related Story. Thunder 119-104 win vs. Mavericks: Player grades reflect exciting first impressions
Deonte Burton
The OKC Thunder fanbase absolutely fell in love with Deonte Burton a year ago when he was just a two-way player bouncing back and forth from the Cox Center to the Peake.
Fans swooned over his size and thunderous Summer League dunks which instantly made him a fan favorite, and sent fans begging for more Burton minutes throughout the regular season.
As he enters year two, we were all expected the usually very confident Deonte Burton to take a step in his career. While it was only one game, against a depleted Dallas Mavericks squad Burton looked a lot worse than a year ago.
The position-less 25 year old at times even looked lost at the BOK Center, and really fell in my personal pecking order for the OKC Thunder rotation (although I do not make those calls of course)
Can Burton improve his stock on Thursday against the New Zeland Breakers?
Next. How 5 seconds made me embrace Thunder youth movement. dark
What are you watching for in the OKC Thunder’s second exhibition game? Let us know in the comment section below, or on Twitter!