Basketball: Why RJ Hampton will wear number 14 for the New Zealand Breakers

RJ Hampton is expected to start at point guard for the Breakers this season. Photo : Todd Henry/New Zealand Herald

Over the years, New Zealand Breakers fans have become accustomed to strong performances from the No 14 jersey.

RJ Hampton plans to keep it that way.

The young American phenom will wear his favoured number for the upcoming ANBL; a decision that has been hard to take for some fans of the team. Worn by Tall Blacks legend Mika Vukona over more than a decade spread across two stints with the team, the jersey is expected to be retired when Vukona's playing days are behind him.

However, with Vukona still in the league as a part of the Brisbane Bullets, Hampton said he had seen the concerns and was looking to put those to rest.

"Someone commented that under one of my pictures," Hampton said. "I heard he was really good here. He's a great player, I know that, but I chose to stick with 14, it'll only be for six or seven months.

"I'm going to do as best as I can in his number."

Hampton wears No 14 because of his father, Rod, who donned the number during his time playing for St Mary's University. This year it will be emblazoned his abdomen as he runs out onto the court for the Breakers.

The new jersey designs for the teams around the ABL were unveiled today, with the Breakers staying true to their classic black and sky blue colour scheme. The NBL will launch its personalised jersey service where fans can add whatever name and number to the jersey they want next month.

"The jersey is nice," Hampton said. "It's vibrant and I think that's going to be like the show we bring to the court this year – vibrant."

Having been in the country for a few weeks, Hampton was making the most of being able to spend as much time picking the brains of the team's director of basketball Dan Shamir, with the majority of the team overseas playing for the Tall Blacks at the FIBA World Cup.

"We got to learn his offense and the way he thought, and now other imports have arrived we can help teach them because you know it a little better than they do.

"I've been watching the World Cup, too, just trying to see where everybody likes the ball and what spots they like it in, how they play as a team. It's definitely been a benefit watching them play on TV."