I never got to see him play he was just a tad before my time. I've looked at his stats theyre great but stats never really tell the whole story. I've heard if Sampson never would have gotten hurt him and Dream were good enough to win several rings throughout the 80's and 90's. Was he as talented as dream when yous saw him play? I mean if Sampson played longer would he put up the stats Dream did? Why is his # not retired??? Any stories or things along that line would be appreciated. I'm just curious thanks
Samspon at 7'4" could legitimately bring the ball up the court on the dribble. Sampson had a jumpshot that went out to around 18 feet. Sampson was very mobile. I haven't seen anyone that size since him that's quite as mobile with the exception of maybe David Robinson. Sampson could block shots and rebound. Sampson's biggest knock was that he was inconsistent. Sampson could score 30 points, grab 15 rebounds, and block 4 shots easily. But he could also score 2 points, get 1 rebound, and 0 blocks just as easily. From game-to-game he was inconsistent and this pissed Rockets fans off in those days. He got the reputation of being a slacker. His knee injuries robbed him of a possible Hall of Fame career. He was every bit as talented as Hakeem in Hakeem's early days, but Hakeem elevated himself to another level at the end of his career. Hakeem evolved into a far greater offensive and defensive force than Sampson ever was. When Hakeem was young, he was an inside force and Sampson was good inside and pretty good outside. By the end of Hakeem's career, Hakeem was unbelievable from any point inside the 3 point line. The reason his number isn't retired is probably because he wasn't a native Houstonian like Clyde, he didn't win a championship, and didn't really have extended, excellent years like Hakeem did.
I never saw him play live but have on ESPN Classic and in video clips but he was awesome. He was like 4 time College player of the year. I don't think he was as good as Dream, but Dream and Sampson would have be better than Jordan and Pippen. MAn it is too bad he got injured, that could have gone down as the best front court ever in the NBA.
Ralph was supposed to be the biggest thing since Wilt Chamberlain. His game looked a lot more like that of Kevin Garnet’s if you are looking for a comparison. Sampson had all of the tools, he could pass, block, shoot, dunk and he played great support defense. The biggest knocks on Sampson were that: 1. He wanted to be a guard in a centers body. 2. He was said to have no heart 3. He could be beaten by the better power forwards in the game. Karl Malone made his name by killing Sampson and Tom Chambers also always seemed to have great success against Ralph. When properly motivated however, there were few if any that could completely dominate a game like he could on both ends of the floor. Unfortunately there were few that could completely disappear in a game like Ralph. There is no doubt that if he had stayed healthy then he would have been a hall of famer.
I saw him in college and the pros. I would say he's like a taller but skinny Kevin Garnett. He had a full four seasons in college at Virginia so he was well schooled in basketball fundamentals, but never was able to lead his team to a championship IIRC.
I was only 8 when I saw Sampson play so I can't really give a good assessment of him (back then, I thought Robert Reid was the bomb). But I remember him dominating the Lakers in Game 5 of the '86 Western Conf. Finals and then when he hit the shot...that's when I became a Rockets fan for life.
DrofDunk and Crash, Hey great job. I was expecting alot of Sampson bashing but am glad to see there are some fans left who were fans of his. I dont think Sampson was soft at all. I have never agreed with this. Just a couple of things to add. I think some of the things that didnt help him when it came to his reputation were: The Schisting incident The cold relationship he had with Bill Fitch The high expectations he came into the league with didnt have the opportunity to be met once Hakeem was drafted (i.e. Sampson wasnt needed to be the man 100% of the time). Also, with regards to his career ending injuries. Sampson, I believe in 1986 or 1987, took a real bad fall on the hard floor at the Boston Garden. In interviews that I have read, Sampson says that fall threw his back out of whack and thats how he ended up with so many problems (i.e. he ran different to compenstate for the pain in his back and that put abnormal pressure on his knees). Trivia Question for you guys: Has anyone every won more Collegiate Player of the Year Honors than Sampson did (I honestly dont know)???
Bill Hanzlik of the Nuggets (6'7'' and thin) used to guard Sampson sometimes and would get him very frustrated. But Sampson was a very good player. Houston Native
To be honest, I thought he was more consistent defensively than offensively. The "guard in a center's body" syndrome did affect his offensive play, but he gave good defensive effort night after night. You never knew when those long arms would hook a ball and -wham-, blocked shot to trigger a break. If the Rockets didn't have an ongoing disaster at the guard position in the 1980s, the Twin Towers would have been as well known as Boston and LA. They *were* that good in Hakeem's second season. One unappreciated reason for that was having a 6' 8" guard named Robert Reid, which allowed the Rockets the ability to guard Magic. I loved that team; too bad tragedy tore it apart. If they had been able to hold onto Lucas, Lew Lloyd and Wiggins... Dave.
if drugs had not broken up that team and he would have not been plagued by injury (two big "ifs", i know), sampson would have been the owner of multiple championship rings.
How good was Ralph? Magic Johnson homed in on Sampson in an All Star Game and Ralph looked slightly greater than Jabbar at his greatest. He was that good. When Hakeem broke his eye orb and was out for weeks, Ralph went to the '5', stopped by the 'booth' on the way to the court and said '30-15', and delivered. He was that good. He was an athletic dude, wanted to be the '3' or maybe the '1'. He was that dumb. He got suckered by Jerry Sistine (spelling?) v Boston in the Finals. He was that dumb. He couldn't decide who he was. He fought with Coach Fitch. His knees betrayed him. He was all that. For all that, they should have traded him to Chicago after getting the Hakeem pick. Jordan + would have been here. Or to Portland. Clyde + would have been here.
This right here is why I never could be a Sampson fan. He had no heart. He disappeared in big games. Virginia went to the final 4 3 times and he couldn't win it. A good story that Bill Worrell told once was before a game that Olajuwon was out for some reason. Sampson, playing center for Hakeem, stopped at the press table and told Bill "25 points, 15 boards...I feel like it tonight". He scored 30+ and had 16 or so boards. Of course, Bill and Calvin were estacic, but I couldn't help but wonder why he had to "decide" to do it, or "feel like" doing it.
HUH??? Are you talking about Ralph Sampson that played for the Rockets? I don't remember him having exceptionally good handles. I do remember him thinking of himself as a 7'4" guard, but everyone with basketball smarts back then knew that he was dreaming. At that height, his place was in the paint, a place he never seemed comfortable playiing in. His jump shot did stretch out to 18 feet, but he never hit with any consistency. After his rookie season, the rockets were very lucky to get Hakeem, who was Akeem back then. Olajuwon was everything Sampson was not - a warrior on the court and especially in the paint, who possessed an accurate jumper that he could get off just about anytime he wanted, a jump hook and an assorted collection of moves the NBA had not seen before or since. Ralph was aiight, but he wasn't qualified to carry Olajuwon's jock. ~ kountzer ~
Sampson was pretty consistent until injuries took their tool. That fall he had in Boston was pretty much the beginning of the end.
Just something interesting to add. Alot of you guys have talked about how Sampson wanted to be more of a wing/guard type of player than a true 5 or post player. The NBA changed when Kevin Garnett came into the league. Now, its not uncommon to see 6'11" and 7 footers playing out on the wing. Do yall think Sampson would have been an even better player than he was if he played in todays in NBA versus in the 80s?
Great talent, could score, pass, defend and rebound; But- disappeared in games much more finesse than power not as athletic as Garnett IMO think of Eddie Griffen @ 7'- 4" with good hands, passing and a low post game-- Not bad!
