How would Ralph Sampson have done in today's game?

[D.Brasco]

He was maybe the original unicorn, as in a well over 7' player who wasn't expected to be glued to the post. Could he have developed a 3 touch?

As for the injuries, perhaps today's developments and management could have helped too.

[AEnigma]

I could see him as a fringe all-star for a couple of seasons, but his defence in the NBA was nothing particularly impressive — as in, not on par with JJJ, Mobley, Chet, Kristaps, Rasheed, etc. — and I struggle to see his offence developing enough to offset that.

[giberish]

If he had grown up with a 3-point line I expect he would have had 3-point range. Figure Porzingis as a low-end though I think Sampson was more agile. Probably not full Wemby but close enough to be very interesting. Obviously health the big limitation.

[One_and_Done]

Even fringe all-star might be generous. He was nothing like Wemby, except for being tall and thin.

[AEnigma]

I agree in the sense that he is more likely to never amount to anything more than unrealised potential, seeing as he was a fringe all-star talent in his own league and showed minimal if any improvement after his rookie season, but hey, given health, a roster completely committed to maximising him, a generous skillset translation, and a never-seen capacity for development, then all that might be enough to eventually become a top thirty-ish player.

[D.Brasco]

Even fringe all-star might be generous. He was nothing like Wemby, except for being tall and thin.

[One_and_Done]

Even fringe all-star might be generous. He was nothing like Wemby, except for being tall and thin.

The fact that Bill Simmons compared them only proves what a bad comp it is. Dude is clueless.

[JRoy]

He would be an all star so long as he could remain healthy.

[70sFan]

Sampson was never elite player in the league, but his physical gifts weren't myths - he was a 7'2 guy with excellent coordination and decent basketball skills. Assuming better health (which is a huge assumption) I can see him becoming a solid all-star player today. He was an all-star level player in the 1980s even though teams didn't use his strengths in optimal way.

I doubt he'd ever become MVP-level candidate in any era though.

[tsherkin]

He'd be decent if he could stay healthy.

Wholly unimpressive at the foul line, and in terms of scoring in general, though. Some turnover and foul issues. Decent but non-elite shot blocker.

Like, he could be a rotation player, but being mobile and rebounding well isn't really the recipe for dominance. I don't see him as being THAT remarkable in today's game. I suppose it depends on how he adapted to the modern game environment.

[Heej]

Even fringe all-star might be generous. He was nothing like Wemby, except for being tall and thin.

False. He was a poor man's Wemby. There's a reason he was drafted number 1 overall. It was due to his fluidity and agility at his size which was nearly unseen in the NBA. He was nowhere near as skilled as Wemby but his build was absolutely the closest we've seen to him.

As far as how good he could've been. He would've developed into a championship caliber 2nd option in a watered down 90s behind one of the greatest bigs ever had he stayed healthy. I'd pin him at a solid championship level 3rd guy in today's more talented league. Maybe Aaron Gordon-esque in terms of impact if he were healthy.

[frica]

If he had grown up with a 3-point line I expect he would have had 3-point range. Figure Porzingis as a low-end though I think Sampson was more agile. Probably not full Wemby but close enough to be very interesting. Obviously health the big limitation.

3pt range with a 66% FT%?

[frica]

Just looking at his highlights Ralph Sampson is one of the freakiest of all times. That coordination, fluidity and size is special.
But he wasn't that good and he would at best be all-star today.

[D.Brasco]

If he had grown up with a 3-point line I expect he would have had 3-point range. Figure Porzingis as a low-end though I think Sampson was more agile. Probably not full Wemby but close enough to be very interesting. Obviously health the big limitation.

3pt range with a 66% FT%?

You must've forgot

[penbeast0]

In either situation, not being asked to play PF alongside a Hakeem would certainly allow him to develop and better maximize whatever talents he had, particularly defensively. It would depend a lot on, not just his talent, but his coaches, the scheme they put him in, and his health. No question he had freakish athletic ability for his size.

[Doctor MJ]

Sampson was never elite player in the league, but his physical gifts weren't myths - he was a 7'2 guy with excellent coordination and decent basketball skills. Assuming better health (which is a huge assumption) I can see him becoming a solid all-star player today. He was an all-star level player in the 1980s even though teams didn't use his strengths in optimal way.

I doubt he'd ever become MVP-level candidate in any era though.

Well but hold on:

- He was supposed to be 7'4" (like Wemby) not 7'2". He was supposed to be clearly taller than Kareem, he wasn't, and he was maybe just an inch taller than Walton.
- He was supposed to be a super-sized Bill Russell, but wasn't even as long by standing reach - to say nothing of Russell's jumping ability and agility

Not saying Sampson doesn't have great basketball gifts by all reasonable standards, but the mythology of his body is what led to him being such an NBA disappointment even before the injuries happened.

I understand he was an all-star in his rookie season, but he was supposed to be a guy leading the league in blocks from day one (y'know, like Wemby), and of course he never did. Yes he was 3rd in BPG as a rookie, but he was getting beaten easily by a low-minutes Mark Eaton, and was glaringly outclassed by the much shorter Hakeem when he arrived the next year.

So then, do I think he was a more talented defender than Wemby? No. Mobley? No. Chet? No. Heck, Kessler? Eh.

I'd say we're talking about a guy who wouldn't really be an All-D guys (and of course, this was also true in his own time), nor do I really seem him as a guy I'd want to build my offense around, and I also don't really see him as a serious talent as a shooter despite his preference for finesse.

Not saying it would be utterly impossible for him to be an all-star, but I think likely he'd be most focused on trying to fit in around the team's stars, and while I'd expect he could carve out a career as a starter, it would depend on him developing skills we didn't see.

I'm sympathetic to seeing lithe bigs as better fits for the modern game than back-in-the-day, but unless you're good enough to be the focus of your team, it's still mostly going to be about getting good at stuff he didn't do when he played.

[penbeast0]

I think he would have developed into an All-D 2nd or 3rd team guy if Houston doesn't get Hakeem (there was this other guy named Michael Jordan they could have looked at). I understand he never did but with Hakeem in town, he never had the chance to develop his center skills properly. He wasn't Hakeem and was unlikely to ever match him, but that's true of pretty much every big that ever played other than Russell, Kareem, Wilt, Shaq, and Mikan.

[Doctor MJ]

I think he would have developed into an All-D 2nd or 3rd team guy if Houston doesn't get Hakeem (there was this other guy named Michael Jordan they could have looked at). I understand he never did but with Hakeem in town, he never had the chance to develop his center skills properly. He wasn't Hakeem and was unlikely to ever match him, but that's true of pretty much every big that ever played other than Russell, Kareem, Wilt, Shaq, and Mikan.

I would agree that with Hakeem's arrival things changed for Sampson.

However:

1. He'd still be competing with Eaton & Hakeem for All-D regardless of what teams they were on, and they'd still be better defenders than he could ever be.

2. I think the fact that Sampson a) got to the Rockets before Hakeem, and b) was the more hyped prospect, makes it unlikely that the Rockets completely changed up what they expected from Sampson just because Hakeem arrived. Hakeem being Hakeem just rendered Sampson a sidekick from the jump because Hakeem was drastically more talented (much to the surprise of NBA scouts).