Five-star prospect R.J. Hampton surprised the college basketball world when he turned down offers from Kansas, Memphis and Texas Tech to sign with the NBL’s New Zealand Breakers.
Hampton had reclassified into the Class of 2019 with the presumed intention to take his basketball career to the college ranks, but the opportunity in New Zealand was evidently too good to pass up.
On Thursday, Hampton admitted that he actually made up his mind on going overseas and signed a contract a month ago. He just wasn’t allowed to share that news officially — that included hiding the decision from the schools and coaches recruiting him.
Well, Fox Sports personality Doug Gottlieb took an awfully personal stance upon hearing that news.
Gottlieb called the tactic “classless” and added that it was a “DB maneuver.” Mind you, this is an 18-year-old kid he’s talking about here, and it’s a move that coaches make all the time. We don’t see Gottlieb criticize coaches for speaking to other schools or keeping job offers from recruits and players.
But when a high schooler (who likely had a reason to keep it quiet) does so, it deserves to be called out? Basketball fans were quick to rip Gottlieb over the tweet.
