That's too harsh on Sampson. He would have been a legit HOFer. Because of the too short career, we will never know how good he would become. He handle was exceptional for a 7-4 guy. He once grabbed a rebound, dribbled all the way through the length of the court and dunk. I couldn't find the record anywhere. But I seem to remember that he was the only center who won the MVP award in an All-Star game in the past 2 decades. I might be wrong on this.
Good point. He was the wrong player at the wrong time on the wrong team with the wrong coach. Serendipity. He coulda been a champeen. But he sure was not.
Nice topic! Dr of Dunk, crash, dwmeyers, xiki... nice takes. Codell, you have it right about "The Fall" in Boston. Ralph was never really the same after that. I saw that and it was brutal. (I worry about Francis... nevermind, off-topic) I always thought Ralph frequently played out of position after we got Hakeem. He was a natural center, imo, and so was Hakeem. They were learning to mesh, at least in '85/'86, but xiki probably got it right. Trading Ralph for Clyde or Jordan (and we could have gotten more than just them) when he was at the top of his game would have been the best scenario for the Rockets. Folks not around back then have no idea how highly regarded Ralph was around the League. I think he would have fared much better today if he was coming out after 4 years at a good program. The improvement in sports medicine might have extended his career. He would be just as hyped today. There are so few quality centers, much less one on Sampson's level. (And we've got one!)
I guess I'm a few years older than most of you guys. I was about 12 when the Rockets drafted Sampson, and the two things that stand out most clearly when thinking about Ralph are: 1. Rebounding - The guy was 7'4", with long arms and could leap. He also had huge hands and could grab the ball with one hand. The guy was incredible at cleaning the boards. I used to think he was like windshield wipers, the ball would hit the rim, then you would see Ralph's arm sweeping the glass, which led to .... 2. Starting the fast break - I've never seen another player start a fast break like Ralph. He would clear the glass and immediately look down the court for a streaker. Then, like a quarterback, he would fire the ball down the court and hit the guy in stride. That's how teams scored 120 points a game back then. Anyway, don't make the mistake of thinking of Ralph as a KG, Duncan, or Nowitzki type. He wasn't. His natural game was center. His best shot was a jump hook.
Nobody said he was Magic Johnson, but name me any 7'4" players that can bring the ball up the court and do behind-the-back dribbles around defenders. It was also his downfall because he thought he was a guard. Hakeem didn't get much of a jumper until later in his career. When he came out of UH, all he knew was to dunk and maybe a jumphook or two. His first couple of seasons, he was a 10-12 foot and in monster. The 15-18 foot jumper didn't come until later when he found that battling in the paint was going to wear him down.
For all you people that said Ralph Sampson has no heart.. What do you base that on? What do you consider heart a player that flagrantly fouls another? How can anyone say Sampson was soft that is so far from being realistic it is not even funny. Someone said Tom Chambers and Karl Malone killed Ralph Sampson, When Ralph was healty Chambers and Malone never killed him. Maybe when Ralph was hurt they outscored but that was about it. Let me tell you something about Ralph because I have over hundered of his games on videotape and I watch them every year. Ralph was a one of kind player at 7-4 who could run, pass, rebound, score and block shots. His first 3 years he was a bonafide superstar. Give him credit he played on a level from 83 to 86 that very few have ever reached and if he did not get hurt he would have continued this pace no questions about it.
Yep, never the same after the injury against Boston. Such a shame. Ralph's versatility (and eagerness to do many things out there) did a number on him, as he needed to stay inside. If he's playing the 5, the knee problems likely don't take him down. You want to know how good he was...look at those first couple of seasons.
The original Victor Wembanyama. But even more Skills, in post up, running the fast break, great ball handling, great passer, if he shot deep 3s even more impossible to stop. Knee Health shortened his Career.
Great topic I've wondered this myself. I've only heard stories from family about the twin towers era.
Ralph could not bang with the 1980s low posts. Dream could. Bill Fitch forced the Sampson trade. Maybe Fitch saw the knee issues coming. Maybe Fitch did not see how take fulll advantage of Sampson's skills. Today's game would be better suited for Ralph. It will interesting to see what kind of career Wembanyama puts together ... and especially how his knees make it into his 30s.
Ralph was amazing, he was Wemby before Wemby. Could do it all, super skilled, an amazing athlete, too bad a knee injury ruined his career. DD
Still, he will forever be that guy we should have traded for Michael Jeffrey Jordan. Alas, we didn't, and that's history. But, we would've won 10 rings in 10 years.
March 24, 1986. A terrible fall in Boston that led to all his later injuries, in my opinion. That, and mediocre medical treatment compared to today's, and perhaps what was available then that he didn't receive. Video below. Warning, it is very disturbing.
I'm not sure Fitch really cared for Sampson much. Before the trade, I know they were going at it on and off. Fitch was old school as it gets and used to get pissed off at Ralph bringing the ball up court or just trying to be a PG and getting turnovers instead of banging down low. That wasn't the era for that. lol.
My first pair of signature shoes were Ralph Sampson's Pumas. Then I went to Hakeem's Etonic and LA Gear. Soon it was Jordans. I own over a hundred pairs now, mostly styles from the 80s/90s. I just looked and you can still get Puma Ralph Sampson's. I met him at the airport once and he seemed super nice. If I was a bit older I would have a better memory of his game but I was a fan even as a grade schooler.
