Basketball: NBA rule-change a big win for Breakers

RJ Hampton of NZ Breakers. Photo /Getty

The Breakers have successfully forced the NBA to change its rules.

Up to 70 NBA scouts were banned from watching the side practice for their upcoming pre-season game against the Memphis Grizzlies tomorrow.

It was a blow for the club who want to expose their star recruit RJ Hampton to the scouts in an effort to help him get picked in the top ten of the 2020 NBA draft.

It's unprecedented territory for the NBA which has strict rules around when and where scouts can watch future draft picks.

Scouts aren't allowed to watch players in the US college system while they practice with their teams, but they are allowed to watch and observe them at organised Pro-days.

The 70 scouts believed to want to view Hampton during his time in Memphis are also in town to observe a pro day hosted by college team the Memphis Tigers so they can see projected number one pick James Wiseman.

But with some carefully placed words to the NBA's administrators, the league has allowed the scouts to attend the practice session tonight and shoot around tomorrow in the build-up to the game, and also ahead of the fixture against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.

"It might be a record for the fastest change that the NBA has ever made, but they got it done," said Breakers owner Matt Walsh.

He adds it's a huge relief as it's extremely important for them to show they can look after future draft prospects so they can lure others to the Breakers in the future.

"It's massive, it's not just important for the Breakers, it's important for RJ, it's important for our relationship with all these NBA teams.

"I think the NBA looked at it objectively and they made the right decision."

The Breakers key argument was that Hampton was a professional unlike college athletes, being scouted by professional teams, so the rule shouldn't apply.