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.
