Ralph Sampson
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| Player information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ralph Lee Sampson Jr. | |
| birthday | July 7, 1960 | |
| place of birth | Harrisonburg , Virginia , United States | |
| size | 224 cm | |
| position | center | |
| college | Virginia | |
| NBA draft | 1983 , 1st pick, Houston Rockets | |
| Clubs as active | ||
1983–1987 Houston Rockets 1987–1989 Golden State Warriors 1989–1990 Sacramento Kings 1991 Washington Bullets 1992 CB Málaga 1994–1995 Rockford Lightning ( CBA )
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Ralph Lee Sampson (born July 7, 1960 in Harrisonburg , Virginia ) is a retired American basketball player . From 1983 to 1991 he was active in the US professional league NBA .
Career
The 2.24 m tall Sampson was considered the greatest center talent in basketball history during his time at the University of Virginia and was named player of the year in the NCAA college league three times . In the 1983 NBA Draft , he was first drafted by the Houston Rockets . Together with Hakeem Olajuwon , who came to the Rockets a year later, Sampson formed a center duo known as the "Twin Towers". After his first year as a professional, Sampson was named Rookie of the Year on the NBA All-Rookie Team . 1985/86 season threw the Rockets led by Olajuwon and Sampson the reigning champions, the Los Angeles Lakers from the playoffs and played in the NBA final against the Boston Celtics of Larry Bird , where they were defeated. Sampson was until then one of the best center players in the league and averaged 22 points and 11 rebounds on average. He was called up to the NBA All-Star Game four times from 1984 to 1987 , including winning the NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1985 when he scored 24 points and 10 rebounds.
During the 1986/87 season, Sampson was seriously injured and could no longer build on his services. As a result, he was eventually sold by the Rockets during the 1987/88 season . After a few seasons with the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings , Sampson ended his NBA career with the Washington Bullets in 1991 . The last years of his NBA career were marked by injuries and declining performance. He then played at CB Málaga in Spain, as well as in the lower class CBA for the Rockford Lightning , before he finally ended his career in 1995.
In 2012 he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame . He was also called to the Houston Rockets' 80s Decade Team. In October 2012 he became part of the coaching staff of the Phoenix Suns , but retired after a year.
literature
- Bert Rosenthal: Ralph Sampson: The Center for the 1980's , Chicago 1984. ISBN 0-516-04341-2
See also
Web links
- Ralph Sampson - player profile on NBA.com
- Ralph Sampson - player profile on basketball-reference.com
- Ralph Sampson in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame On: Hoophall website; Springfield, MA, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2018 (in English).
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Sampson, Ralph |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Sampson, Ralph Lee |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American basketball player |
| DATE OF BIRTH | July 7, 1960 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Harrisonburg , Virginia |