Ralph Sampson would run rings around yao., Ralph was a 7'4 SG and SF, PF and C combined into a sensational atheletic packiage.Injuries derailed a HOF career.
I did not forget Sampson. But even though he was 7'4, Sampson was not a center, he was a Forward. That notwithstanding, Yao still had the better career.
Yao was a better player, center and Rocket than Sampson. The kicker is giving Sampson the excuse of injury but not Yao lol
Sampson got hurt the year after the Rockets went to the NBA Finals and he showed the world his talents during that playoff run. Yeah Yao is a better center, but Sampson was Kevin Garnett when Kevin Garnett was not looked upon favorably in the NBA. Sampson in today's game would easily be the best offensive force in the NBA.
I am just gonna accept this as trolling the YOF's and leave it alone. I am a massive Sampson fan so........
come on dude, you don't think with today's rules that Ralph wouldn't dominate? http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=112008 "Not to take anything away from Dream," said former Rocket, Olajuwon teammate and now TNT analyst Kenny Smith. "But one was hurt and one wasn't. "I hear people say that Ralph only did it for three or four years. But for three or four years, nobody could touch him. He'd have been (voted) a Top 50 (all-time) player if not for his knees. When it comes to Sampson, everybody seems to want to go for the easy negative instead of looking for the truth." http://bbs.clutchcity.net/showthread.php?t=171106 Sampson was a different kind of animal, and a vastly different kind of center, than anyone had ever seen. Despite his angular 7-4 frame, Sampson could dribble, pass, shoot from the perimeter and - of course - rebound and block shots. But in a curious twist, the versatility that made Sampson unique was the very reason he was constantly knocked by fans and the media, all of whom seemed to believe that 7-4 men should make their livings in the paint. But a player like Yao, along with lengthy forward Kevin Garnett, is celebrated for possessing those same skills. "Yeah, that was my game," Sampson said. "That's just the way I came up playing. I never wanted to be limited by being strictly an inside player, so I learned to play facing the basket, too. I figured that would make me that much harder to (guard). I was versatile.
I would love to have him on our team, REAL nice with Asik, but unless you have a different definition of "the best offensive force in the NBA" I completely disagree. His FT% and 3PT% would have needed to rise dramatically. Look at the top scorers today.
The uploader of this video says, "Probably my fav center. I have hope that he'll be back next year." And he's from Poland. It proves that you can also find delusional people outside the Houston area. By the way, it seems Yao actually had some leaping ability in his rookie year.
back on topic. I do miss Yao cause of his classiness as well as his game. He was the last Rocket from the Rudy T era.
Actually when yao first came into the league, he's very versatile with accurate mid range game. His baseline dribble was very fast and he's more agile than ever. He blocked Shaq's first 5 shots in their first matchup. He blocked 7 shots against Celtics before half time. I always think his rookie year is the most exciting period of his career, although he steadily increased minutes and production later. He became kind of robotic under JVG.
The Rudy T Yao was definitely different than the JVG one. It was exciting cause no one expected him to improve so fast. That was a fun team.
I'll never forget Yao's first game against Shaq... The Rockets taking it to the Lakers from the opening tip-off. Yao stuffing Shaq. Eddie Griffin diving on the floor for a loose ball. It was playoff intensity. I miss Yao.
I miss Yao because in his retirement speech he said he will always be a Houstonian. Pretty hard to top that.
I obviously admire what Yao has done on and off the court. Rating him where I do is more a testimony to our RICH tradition of big men. When he came back off the second? injury, he was throwing guys off him right and left......incredible what he could do when healthy AND NOT WORN DOWN FROM PLAYING BALL YEAR ROUND. To wit, on Ralph - Sampson came in and was a monster at the 5 from the get go. His versatility and Dream's presence conspired to have the Rockets move him out from down low after a couple of years.IMO THIS led to the injuries. He put up BIG numbers at the 5 and was key in us taking out the Lakers only to lose to Boston in 6. Consider this. Noone, outside of the Lakers got out of the West in the eighties.....besides us...Each time we were led by all time great players inside ..Moses, Dream, and Ralph. To me, the League was better and those Lakers/Celtics teams were the greatest of all time. The center wasn't an almost extinct species then either...hadn't gone the way of the dodo. And like now, most resided out West... I don't think many really appreciate how good Ralph was.
Haven't followed Yao much since his retirement. Has he been back to Houston or does he have any ties left to the community? Off topic, but how's his restaurant doing? Any good?
