When Ralph Sampson was selected with the No. 1 pick in the 1983 NBA Draft, he was clearly ahead of his time. Nowadays, the former Houston Rockets big man gets compared to San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama due to his unique size and abilities.
Despite playing in the league 30 years ago, Sampson believes he could still dominate the NBA today.
Ralph Sampson was among a slew of former professional athletes and celebrities who came together in Los Angeles recently to support the Harold and Carole Pump Foundation‘s 25th Anniversary Celebrity Dinner at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
The event, hosted by brothers David and Dana Pump, takes place every August to raise money and create awareness for the treatment and cure of cancer. The Pump brothers, in working with the Northridge Hospital Foundation, have raised more than $10.5 million for the Carole Pump Women’s Center, the Harold and Carole Pump Department of Radiation Oncology, and the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Cancer Center at Northridge Hospital Medical Center and other non-profit community charities.
Sampson showed his support for what he and Lakers legend James Worthy called one of the biggest charitable events of the year.
“I mean, one is the camaraderie of the guys that join together,” Ralph Sampson explained to ClutchPoints. “There's very few times we can do that as professional athletes. We're doing that for a good cause today and this is one of the biggest causes, the biggest charitable events of the year. We all like to come support the Pump Brothers. It's amazing.”
Sampson came into the NBA in 1983 as a rare, 7-foot-4 big man who was as agile as he was strong. When Victor Wembanyama began rising as a top prospect, many compared his game to the likes of Sampson, a lanky big man with range who could also put the ball on the floor. Wembanyama, of course, had much more range and ball-handling abilities by the time he entered the league.
Sampson believes that, despite being ahead of his time, he could play in today's NBA.
“Ehh, that's what they say,” Ralph Sampson told ClutchPoints with a smile. “But you know, I could have played in this era for sure and I would probably dominate the game more than I dominated the game in the past.”
Sampson's career was derailed by injuries, but the center was a force to be reckoned with in his first three seasons with the Houston Rockets. In 243 games, Sampson averaged 20.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, a steal, and 2.0 blocks per game.
Even in today's game, Sampson feels like he could dominate.
“30 and 20,” Sampson said. “Easy.”
“They say I'm Wemby, the first, he's Wemby, the second. But I'm Ralph the first, he's Ralph the second. I could post-up, I could dribble, and I could shoot outside. We didn't shoot many 3s when I played, but I'm sure my mindset would've been really tough to play and would've been at an elite level of the game.”
Ralph Sampson loves Rick Carlisle's Pacers
Sampson, a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, is one of two players ever to win National Player of the Year three times, alongside Bill Walton. In his Player of the Year seasons at Virginia, Sampson averaged 17.6 points, 11.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 3.1 blocks per game.
One of his teammates on those Cavaliers teams was Rick Carlisle, who is now the head coach of the Indiana Pacers. Ralph Sampson said he doesn't have a particular player he enjoys watching more than another, but adds that his former teammate is one that he likes to follow.
“I like to watch all of them and I like to see the guys that put the grit and grind in and play hard each night. They're always one guy that does that. Most teams don't have that. My favorite team is the Indiana Pacers with Rick Carlisle. I played with him in college and he's doing an amazing job.”
Ralph Sampson on the Rockets' Kevin Durant trade
While the Pacers aren't expected to be contenders in the Eastern Conference following the Achilles tear of Tyrese Haliburton, one team that is hopeful to contend is the Houston Rockets.
Following months of speculation, Kevin Durant was traded to the Rockets in a trade that sent Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green to the Phoenix Suns.
The Rockets were able to keep Alperen Sengun, Fred Van Vleet, and Amen Thompson, putting together what they hope is a real contender in the Western Conference.
“[Kevin Durant] fits together with anybody,” Sampson added. “I love KD and he'll teach those young guys how to be a professional. I think it's a great fit. It should extend his career. They should give him more money and more contracts because I think he's isn't going to have to play as hard, but he can play smart and preserve his body for the playoffs.”
Durant just finished his 17th season in the NBA, where he averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game whiles hooting 52.7 percent from the field and 43 percent from 3-point range.
