Kentucky commit Ryan Hampton takes over in front of Kentucky's Cody Fueger

The first day of the live period at Peach Jam is here. On Thursday, 2027 Kentucky commit Ryan Hampton took the floor for Nightrydas Elite in front of Kentucky coach Cody Fueger, who arrived in North Aususta on Thursday along with many other coaches.

How did Kentucky's first 2027 commit do on Thursday? First of all, it was a thrilling game, one that was tied in the final few minutes before Hampton and Nightrydas pulled away late for the win. As for Hampton himself, he's a big reason why his squad was able to get the victory. The 6-6 wing had zero points in the entire first half, but turned things around late, pouring in 15 points in the second half, including a pair of threes along with six rebounds. This comes after a performance last week in Las Vegas where he had a double-double.

Hampton really showed his ability to take over in a game and I'm sure Fueger loved to see that because it's exactly what you want you're star player. A top 10 recruit needs to have that ability in his bag and Hampton sure showed he had all of those tools. When watching him, it's clear that his motor is his biggest strengh because he definitely has that star ability to score, but when he's hunting for shots, Hampton is very dangerous as one of the best scorers in the class.

Here's how 247 Sports describes his game. They mention efficiency, which was evident when watching him work through his struggles on Thursday: "He’s a volume scorer who shows some real flashes of creation, can be athletic in the open floor, and a wing rebounder, but can simultaneously be wild with his decisions and shot selection at times," Finkelstein said. "He has good use of both hands, soft floaters, can pull-up over top of smaller defenders, or spin into a one-foot step-back that he likes to go to when he gets deep enough. He also shows flashes of being crafty with his footwork in the lane, varying his stride length to create separation or angles in traffic. He’s not yet a consistent three-point shooter, but has the touch to develop. ...Most of all though, it’s just about the efficiency of his approach and decision-making that could help take his game to new levels as he learns to play within the flow, move off the ball at times, and take high percentage shots."

Feb 4, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope looks on during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Along with the lone Kentucky commit, there are plenty of top targets for the Wildcats that the staff will have eyes on throughout the rest of the week. One of those is Hampton's teammate, Lewis Uvwo, who ended up with 10 blocks in their game on Thursday.

Maybe a new name pops up on their radar? We'll see, but it should be a fun few days.

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