Did Ralph Sampson have GOAT Potential

[anthonyRandolph]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgDJbb8bMhM

Sad to see this guys career get derailed by injuries, 7'4'' and could dribble though, unreal man. May never see another talent like this.

[Smook A.]

I didn't get to see him play in his prime but I heard he was a really really talented player. Watched a lot of YouTube clips of him and I gotta agree. Him and Hakeem would've done a lot of damage if he didn't get injured. One of the big 'what could've beens"

[Im Still Ballin]

He could be argued, yes he did have GOAT potential. What separates at the elite level is however, the intangibles, work ethic, and desire. And I guess maturity. Imagine how easy it would be to slack off with so much money.

[j3lademaster]

Man, whenever I see Ralph Sampson highlights I always wonder that. I mean we were salivating over Embiid as a prospect... this guy is taller and seems even more agile to me, and he's got ball skills? Really hope someone knowledgable of the early-mid 80's era comes in and drops some on this guy. There's too much the highlights don't tell us: did he take plays off? How often? Was he actually good at positioning for rebounds or was the 21/11 as a rookie purely based on his length? How did the casual fan view him? How hyped was he coming into the league? etc.

[G.O.A.T]

Man, whenever I see Ralph Sampson highlights I always wonder that. I mean we were salivating over Embiid as a prospect... this guy is taller and seems even more agile to me, and he's got ball skills? Really hope someone knowledgable of the early-mid 80's era comes in and drops some on this guy. There's too much the highlights don't tell us: did he take plays off? How often? Was he actually good at positioning for rebounds or was the 21/11 as a rookie purely based on his length? How did the casual fan view him? How hyped was he coming into the league? etc.

Ralph Sampson

[JimmyMcAdocious]

He had one of the biggest recruitments in high school history and was considered to be an alltime college great by the time he left. So kind of hyped.

Could never win the big one tho.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1vX9z3remU

[Psileas]

Apart from his running and jumping ability, an interesting article here mentions he was freakishly strong for his built, too, although Jerry Sichting some years later would disagree:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?ni...pg=6812,418839

[CavaliersFTW]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgDJbb8bMhM

Sad to see this guys career get derailed by injuries, 7'4'' and could dribble though, unreal man. May never see another talent like this.

Technically he was 7 foot 1 not 7 foot 4. But yeah great body control for that size. Not a better talent than Kareem IMO though, who was even taller, nor was he a better talent than Wilt who was the same height but way stronger.

[G.O.A.T]

Technically he was 7 foot 1 not 7 foot 4. But yeah great body control for that size. Not a better talent than Kareem IMO though, who was even taller, nor was he a better talent than Wilt who was the same height but way stronger.

7'1" ?

Seems impossible. He always looked as tall or taller than the 7'3" Kareem. Some will say Kareem is 7'2" or 7'1", but he was at least 7'3" according to anyone I know who has meet him in person and surely looked at least that tall on the court.

[CavaliersFTW]

7'1" ?

Seems impossible. He always looked as tall or taller than the 7'3" Kareem. Some will say Kareem is 7'2" or 7'1", but he was at least 7'3" according to anyone I know who has meet him in person and surely looked at least that tall on the court.

Without shoes mind you, and it could be 7-1 and change but either way he's in the 7-1 ballpark. 7-1 without shoes ballpark is REALLY TALL. Most players who list as 7 footers aren't 7 foot, it's really rare to be 7-1, that's Hasheem Thabeet's height for reference, the current tallest player in the NBA measured through draftexpress (7-1 and 1/4). He towers over most of the other "7 footers" in the league.

http://youtu.be/Y_k-U6SwRlo?t=58s

Mark Eaton, who is 7-3 and 3/4 barefoot by self admission estimated Sampson to be about 7-1. When you look at pics of him and Eaton vs say, him and Kareem (a guy known to be 7-1 and 7/8ths) you can tell Sampson is def closer to the ballpark height of Kareem and def not Eaton. I only like to make comparisons with players who's height is known, so those are the two best reference points.

[G.O.A.T]

Without shoes mind you, and it could be 7-1 and change but either way he's in the 7-1 ballpark. 7-1 without shoes ballpark is REALLY TALL. Most players who list as 7 footers aren't 7 foot, it's really rare to be 7-1, that's Hasheem Thabeet's height for reference, the current tallest player in the NBA measured through draftexpress (7-1 and 1/4). He towers over most of the other "7 footers" in the league.

http://youtu.be/Y_k-U6SwRlo?t=58s

Mark Eaton, who is 7-3 and 3/4 barefoot by self admission estimated Sampson to be about 7-1. When you look at pics of him and Eaton vs say, him and Kareem (a guy known to be 7-1 and 7/8ths) you can tell Sampson is def closer to the ballpark height of Kareem and def not Eaton. I only like to make comparisons with players who's height is known, so those are the two best reference points.

Good info, thank you.

Stands to reason, perhaps Sampson looked taller because of his thin frame and long limbs.

What are your thoughts on Walton's actual height based ont he information available. When I met him (I'm 6'6" 7/8ths shoeless) I thought he was probably around 7'1" but I've also heard he has shrunk an inch or so since his playing days because of the foot surgeries.

[SexSymbol]

Every player plays out up to his potential.

[Psileas]

Height-wise:

Sampson looking a bit shorter than Kareem here:


and marginally taller here, but we don't get to see their whole stature, plus, their bending heads may mislead:


Note also their age difference, Kareem is 13 years older.

[Smoke117]

No. Hakeem was already better than him his rookie season. Ralph Sampson was too soft as a big man to ever have GOAT potential. He wasn't really that great even before injuries sidelined his career. He was a good player...but GOAT potential? He had a couple healthy years and he frankly was nothing special. It wasn't like Kareem coming into the NBA and instantly already being one of the best players in the league.

[JellyBean]

Without a doubt, Sampson had GOAT potential. Those of us that grew up in the 70s and 80s, saw Ralph play, whenever NBC showed their games, which was usually during a tournament. Ralph's college years, the dude was a beast. However, that old saying of "Hard work beats talent, when talent does not work hard" applied to Ralph. His knee injuries did not do him any favors as well. But Ralph had the potential to become a GOAT.

I mean for a 7'3-7'4 big, he was a KG, a Tim Duncan, a Dirk. Ralph could take you out to the short corner and drill that base line jumper. He had the handles to put the ball on the floor and drive by a traditional post player. He could play the perimeter like a wing player does now. He had those skills.