Ralph Sampson (pre-knee problems): Do you believe he was a true Rockets legend?

Also how come Yao is brought into this discussion, itsn't it possible that Sampson is a rocket legend, and yao can become one too??

Thinking Sampson was great, does not mean that you think Yao is not.

i think Sampson is a rocket legend.(but as others said i do not think he is an nba legend, but that was not the question so that doesn't matter). therefor i sayd yes in this poll.

 

Ralph Sampson was AWESOME to watch in his prime.

I saw the Rox kick the crap out of the Cavs in Richfield during (H)Akeem's rookie year. We were all waiting by the tunnels, getting autographs from people like Ben Poquette, Johnny Davis, & Robert Reid ... when Olajuwon & Sampson emerged together from the locker room, just the two, & everyone just went silent for a second. It was like a religious experience. lol

You could hear people under their breath going "whoa."

They wouldn't sign anything, but a few people (including me) said stuff like "YEAH! Go Rockets!"

I think Ralph went OFF for like 50 that game, or close to it. He was unstoppable.

I know that's but one game, but still ... just felt like sharing. I have very fond memories of the Ralph years.

 

dude was quick.

 

If you look at Ralph in the context of coming into the NBA from Virginia as a 3 time, consecutive college Player of the Year, the only others to have accomplished that feat being Oscar freakin' Robertson, and Bill Walton, the hype was amazing. Ralph was a Rockets legend from the moment he was drafted. This is from Wikipedia:

He was arguably the most heavily recruited (for both college and the NBA) basketball prospect of his generation.

He was the only player to win the Wooden award twice. Professionally, Sampson was a #1 draft pick, three-time NBA All-Star, and Rookie of the Year for the Houston Rockets. He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated an unprecedented six times in a span of less than four years (issues of December 17, 1979; December 1, 1980; March 30, 1981; November 29, 1982; December 20, 1982; and October 31, 1983).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Sampson

Ralph was also the MVP of the All Star game in his second season. In short, he was an NBA legend from the moment that he was drafted, as well as a Rockets legend. Those who weren't around back then simply have no idea how Sampson was regarded by the NBA and the public. The man was a legend in his own time. Sadly, his time lasted 3 years. Rockets legend? To question it has to be, in my opinion, absurd. That's not even bringing up The Shot, which cemented him as a Rockets legend, and put him even more firmly as a legend in the history of the NBA, at least when looking at the history of the most famous shots of all time. Add the fact that he was one of the most famous players to enter the NBA from college, ever, and this is a goofy argument to have.

Didn't we just have this discussion twice??

 

Ralph Sampson was a big disappointment is what he was. He had a few great years but the injuries just turned him to nothing...and he was always a kinda soft player in a way.

Hakeem is a Rockets Legend. Moses is a Rockets Legend. I just don't see how Ralph is.....anymore then Derrick Coleman is a NJ Nets Legend....

 

IMO, Sampson is certainly a Rockets legend, but a borderline NBA legend because he didn't have enough great years due to injury. The way he played, the skills he demonstrated before injury was unreal considering his height. Anyone who compares Yao to him hasn't watched Sampson playing.

Yao was an average player the first couple years in the league, then became a good player the last year and half, and finally shows the sign of a great player. But Sampson was a very good player when entering the league, and quickly became a great player.

Come back to compare them in a couple more years when Yao takes the Rockets deep into the the playoff, or even better, win a couple titles

 

Sampson is definitely a Rockets legend.
He should also be considered an NBA legend. His credentials:
1. He was a #1 pick (coined "player of the century" coming out of college)
2. He was selected an all-star his rookie year
3. He was on all-NBA second team his rookie year
4. He was ROY
5. He was all-star MVP his second year (This is particularly important. He was the first center since Bill Russell who got this award. Shaq was the only center since Ralph who got this honor. This is an honor some legendary centers, including Kareem never had.)
6. He was one of the top rebounders and shot blockers even after he shared the stage with Hakeem.
7. "The shot heard around the world" is one of the top legendary shots in NBA history.
8. He was the first 7-fter who could make a steal, go coast to coast and finish a solo fastbreak.

 

Well said...Amen!

 

I'm right behind you!

 

Are injuries always a matter of bad luck? I wonder of the extent to which conditioning and lifestyle contribute to one's susceptibility to injuries. Granted, Sampson's height probably make him a lifelong risk for knee, back and joint problems in general, and I never read or heard anything negative about his training regimen, but it's difficult to hear about anyone with chronic injuries and not think about Charles Barkley, who I've always felt lazied himself out of five good Championship caliber playing years.

I just wonder about the extent to which repeated injuries are preventable.

 

True. Ralph is the Rocket's version of JR Richard -- an almost-certain Hall of Famer if not for an injury which shortened his career drastically. As a Houston sports fan, those two injuries make me wanna puke every time I think of them.

 

I couldn't care less what Ralph did in college - it's irrelevant to me in the context of whether or not he's a very good or great player. Walter Berry was a hell of a college player. I guess he's a legend, too. Why do you guys always go back to what the players did in college. Who cares? The Rockets don't play in the NCAA. Hey, I have a legend for you - Randy Livingston. High School Player of the Year and regarded among the best prospects in the nation along with Jason Kidd. Man, how you guys forget the Rockets legends... like Randy Livingston. FYI, there's another Naismith high school and college player of the year winner on our team. I'm willing to bet 99% of the people here can't tell me who that is within 10 seconds. Why? Because it doesn't matter. What matters is what did these guys do in the NBA/for their NBA team?

I listened to the talk shows as a kid and I watched the Rockets get inconsistent play from Ralph on tv. He was always labeled a big man who didn't want to play the big man's game. He drove people nuts by trying to bring the ball up the court instead of passing it to a guard to bring up court (often resulting in a turnover). He pissed off fans when he would get his 30 and 10 one night and completely disappear the next - you never knew which Ralph you would get.

I looked over your references and had to chuckle when more than half the stuff you mention deals with his college career. I don't care. It does not apply. If it did, then hell, Christian Laettner should be praised for being a "legend". Neither does the All Star MVP matter to me (which is a joke of a game anyway, not to mention, you can thank Magic for setting Ralph up right and left all over the court to get that award).

Ralph had a Rockets-legendary shot and he had one or two of the best modern-day seasons by a Rockets player. If this makes him a Rockets legend, then that's cool. My idea of Rockets legends are Hakeem, Moses, Calvin, and Rudy. If you want to throw in Elie, Sampson, Horry, etc. into that mix for legendary moments, then go ahead, but I'm not certain I would. I'm not one to point back nostalgically just to say everybody from "back then" was a great, and I think this is just a prime example of that. Ralph could've been an all-time great, but he wasn't, and that's an honor I'm not going to pro-rate based upon 2 or 3 years of very good play.

 

Like me this guy watched him play, which is different than the others saying they did and we did not.

Because indeed everything said there is true. Sampson was good for sure but he was noweher near as good as people are claiming. Thank you for posting exactly what i remember.

 

That fight was Game 5. Somebody find out what "da legend" did for us in Game 6.

 

I never had a chance to watch Ralph played! But the above sounded very familiar... like yao!!!