Following a 12-year professional stint in Europe along with her three years in the WNBA, Hampton retired from basketball in 2000, due to worn cartilage in her right knee.

She joined the basketball team during her freshman year in 1976, at the urging of the head coach Marshall Abstain.

During her college career, the Sun Devils made two consecutive trips, during the 1982 and 1983 seasons, to the Sweet 16, before being eliminated from the NCAA Tournament.

In 1997, Hampton was selected as the number four pick in the WNBA Elite Draft, by the New York Liberty, in its inaugural season.

Hampton's debut game was played on June 21, 1997, in a 67–57 win over the Los Angeles Sparks where she recorded 13 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 block.

During her first year, Hampton averaged 9.8 points and 5.8 rebounds helping the Liberty to a 17–11 record a Finals appearance (losing the championship game to the Houston Comets).

Hampton produced averages of 9.2 points and 5.6 rebounds while the Liberty once again made it back to the WNBA Finals.

Also during this season, she would be the starting Center in the inaugural WNBA All-Star Game The Liberty would once again faceoff against the Comets in the Finals.

In 2012 Hampton was one of the women featured on ABC's The Revolution daytime TV show trying to improve themselves, particularly with regard to weight loss.