From NKAA, Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (main entry)

Born in Louisville, KY, Kym Hampton graduated from Iroquois High School in 1980, where she was a basketball and track star. She played college ball at Arizona State University, scoring over 2,000 points and setting eight career records, graduating in 1984 with a degree in theatre.

Hampton was the first ASU women's basketball player to earn all-America honors (1981-82). She was inducted into the Arizona State Hall of Fame in 1989. She is also ninth on the NCAA's all-time career rebounds list. She owns eight career and season women's basketball records at ASU, including most points (683), rebounds (413), field goal percentage (.570), and blocked shots (55). Her career records include points (2,361), rebounds (1,415), field goal percentage (.545), and blocked shots (178).  Hampton was also among ASU career leaders in steals (187, 3rd), free throw percentage (.696, 8th) and assists (116, 10th). She led ASU to a four-year record of 76-34, including two NCAA tournament appearances and one NIT post-season. She was selected the Sun Angel Athlete of the Year in 1984, honoring academic and athletic excellence.

She played professional basketball outside the U.S. for 13 years; during her final year with the Italian League in 1996, she was the league's  leading rebounder.

The WNBA's New York Liberty signed Hampton during the Elite Draft in 1997; she was the first African American player from Kentucky in the WNBA. The New York Liberty team was runner-up in the finals against the Houston Comets in the 1997 and 1999 WNBA Championship games. Hampton also played professional basketball in Barcelona, Spain.

Hampton retired from the league in 1999 after a knee injury, taking her career in other directions with modeling, acting, singing and other aspects or the music business, and public speaking, as well as participation in basketball camps. She is an original CoverGirl Queen Collection model featured in print and a nationwide commercial. In 2005 she was inducted into the Dawahares'/Kentucky High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.
 
For more see J. Demling, "Hall of Famer Hampton finds there's a spotlight after basketball," Courier Journal, 3/16/2005; the Kentucky High School Athlietic Association website; her entry in the the Basketball Reference website; her WNBA website page; and her entry in Moe's Allstars.