Prospect Spotlight: Ramon Hampton (2018)
Finding big men is something that all colleges need, and the ones who know their strengths and work on their weaknesses are ones that typically succeed later in their careers. It takes big men longer to develop, but once they do they can jump to levels you never would have expected.
One of the sleepers in the state that is on the verge of making that jump is William Fleming big man Ramon Hampton. The 6’6” athletic forward had a good junior season, and spent the summer working hard to improve his game all around, and it’s starting to show.
“I worked hard this summer on improving my ball handling and changing my jumper, and I think I became a little stronger as well,” Hampton said. “I know I’ve got to continue to work on those things as well as my stamina.”
Despite a good junior campaign, Hampton is still relatively under the radar with colleges. He’s heard from a variety of schools, including Randolph, Grace, Bluefield, Ferrum and Radford, but they’re just now starting to get serious. Regardless of his hype so far, Hampton’s focused on the big picture heading into his senior year, both on and off the court.
“My goals are to graduate from Fleming and go to college,” he said blankly. “Other than that, maybe winning a state championship.”
Fleming has seen success in the past, and with a young group this year they will lean heavily on Hampton and fellow senior Andre Pullen, but he’s ready for the task. He plays extremely hard on both ends, can run the floor and finish above the rim and has great timing as a rim protector and shot blocker. He may not put up gaudy numbers day in and day out, but the effort is always there and so is his impact on the game when he’s in.
As for how he sees himself at the next level, it’s a pretty simple statement.
“I’ve got a good motor, and I can do everything you need down low and up top. I’m a little scrawny but I plan on putting some muscle and some meat on me at the next level.”
Hampton should make waves in the Roanoke area as one of the best and most athletic bigs in the 540, and if his Fleming team can bring the energy that he does they should be able to compete with the best in the area with their athleticism and length.