16d ago basketball Edit

Michigan State adds Ball State transfer guard Nyla Hampton

Kent State University's Elena Maier drives to the basket past Ball State's Nyla Hampton in a MAC Tournament semifinal on Friday, March 15, 2024, in Cleveland. (© PHIL MASTURZO / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Kevin Knight • Spartans Illustrated

Asst. Managing Editor

Native Michigander & Hillsdale graduate who has covered MSU athletics since 2020 & fan since childhood. Lived in DC since 2011, husband to a Neb. guy, beagle dad, transportation policy work by day.

Michigan State women's basketball has picked up its second transfer portal commitment this week with Ball State guard Nyla Hampton announcing her commitment to the Spartans Friday night on her Instagram account.

Hampton started her career at Bowling Green under then head coach Robyn Fralick before transferring to Ball State last season for her senior year. She will have one year of eligibility remaining.

A native of Dayton, Ohio, Hampton was a three-team all-league selection with first-team honors her senior year and was a four-year letter winner under coaches Travis Trice Sr. (father of former MSU men's basketball guard Travis Trice, Jr.), her father Jamar Shackelford, and Scott Lute.

While in the Falcons uniform, Hampton earned MAC All-Freshman and All-Defensive Team honors her first season in Bowling Green, 2020-2021. She started in the final 22 games of the season while playing in 24 games total after missing the first five due to injury, averaging 9.3 points per game and was second in assists (2.79 per game) and steals (2.33 per game).

Her sophomore season Hampton earned All-Defensive Team honors for the second straight year, starting in 32 of 33 games for the year and finishing the season averaging 8.4 ppg while leading the team in steals with 2.69 spg and in blocks with 12 on the season while finishing second in helpers with 2.84 apg.

Hampton's junior season and final at Bowling Green saw her have a breakout year that ended with her being named MAC Defensive Player of the Year alongside a third-straight MAC All-Defensive Team honors. Hampton was named a team captain and started in 35 of 36 games for the season, leading the conference in steals (101, a school record) and steals per game (2.81). She ended her career with 243 steals, one shy of tying the school record while ranking seventh in the country in steals and 16th in steals per game her junior year. Hampton also finished the year with her highest scoring average of her career at BGSU (10.3 ppg) and highest assist average (3.3 apg). She also finished the year with 2.5 rpg.

Over her three seasons with the Falcons, Hampton averaged 45.5% shooting from the field and 35.5% from 3-point range. She also averaged 75.4% from the free throw line.

In her one season with the Batll State Cardinals, Hampton made her mark in her senior year as the highest rated transfer outside of the Power Five according to HD Intelligence. She once again was named the All-MAC Defensive Player of the Year alongside All-MAC Second Team and All-MAC Defensive Team honors.

Hampton excelled at distributing the ball to her teammates, scoring, and on the defensive end all season. She finished the year averaging 51.1% shooting from the field, though struggled from deep with 24% shooting from 3-point range. Hampton averaged 9.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 4.8 apg, and 3.0 spg while finishing the season with a career-high 14 blocks.

Hampton joins the Spartans alongside Emma Shumate of Ohio State and forward Grace VanSlootin from Oregon.

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