What would Kevin McHale and Ralph Sampson put up today at their peaks?

[oarabbus]

Ralph Sampson peak:

21/11/2.5blk on 52%


Kevin McHale peak:
26/10/2.2blk on 60.4% :and 84% FT


How would they do against today's crop of Cs

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

LOL if u think Mchale can average that.............no Bird to take defense attention of him. U think hes a better scorer than prime Dirk

[Collie]

McHale = Longer Al Jefferson with better defense and better efficiency.
Ralph Sampson, hard to say. He was more of a PF tbh than a center. Maybe similar to Anthony Davis, but slower and taller.

[oarabbus]

LOL if u think Mchale can average that.............no Bird to take defense attention of him. U think hes a better scorer than prime Dirk

That's what he actually averaged in 1986-1987...

And fast paced or not, 26ppg on >60%FG is UNREAL. He would score less today but be even more efficient. Scary.

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

That's what he actually averaged in 1986-1987...

And fast paced or not, 26ppg on >60%FG is UNREAL. He would score less today but be even more efficient. Scary.

WITH BIRD on his team...............in this scenario with Mchale in the league does he get Bird on his team so he gets easier shots? If Mchales the number one option hes not gonna be as efficient. The pace is much slower now too but i still think Mchale would get around 23-24 PPG just not at 60%FG

Look at Pau Gasols efficiency who plays in the post like Mchale. In Memphis he was the man and his efficiency for last 4 years there was 50% then the next 4 years with LA with prime Kobe it was 54%...............In 08 he was averaging 50% for half the year without peak Kobe. Then with Kobe he went up to 59%.............

[Round Mound]

McHale Would Average Around 23-24 PPG on 57% FG Without Birdl. He Would Be The Best Low Post Scorer in the NBA and The Best Scoring PF. He Would Average Around 9-10 RPG and 2.5 BPG.

[dubeta]

4 courts mopped a day

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

McHale Would Average Around 23-24 PPG on 57% FG Without Birdl. He Would Be The Best Low Post Scorer in the NBA and The Best Scoring PF. He Would Average Around 9-10 RPG and 2.5 BPG.

How would he be a better scoring PF than KLove?

[Marchesk]

How would he be a better scoring PF than KLove?

His stats would be less empty

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

His stats would be less empty

We dont know that since Love never had a player like Bird leading the charge Mchale was called a black hole in his time

[Marchesk]

We dont know that since Love never had a player like Bird leading the charge Mchale was called a black hole in his time

We'll find out soon enough. But I was joking anyway.

[Round Mound]

How would he be a better scoring PF than KLove?

Easily. Especially In The Post.

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Easily. Especially In The Post.

26PPG on .524 EFG??????? Easily???
Stop overexaggerating. Mchale is easily better in the post but Love shoots 7 3s a game at 38% and draws much more fouls. Loves advantage in shooting is bigger than Mchales in the post. And this is all with Love not having a player like Larry Bird to give him easy or open buckets

[bizil]

Those two at center or PF would absolutely dominate in today's game. Both were PF's anyway and could thrive away from the hoop at 15-18 ft. Even though the center position is getting better, it still is SERIOUSLY lacking in terms of true superstar talent at the spot. McHale and Sampson were superstar level talents at their peaks so they would EASILY DOMINATE TODAY! Too skilled, athletic, and unique not to thrive! And Sampson like Magic, Wilt, Shaq, Barkley, and KG was a freak of nature at his peak.

[SHAQisGOAT]

McHale's getting a bit underrated here... In terms of skill on the low-block, at he's peak, he's top2 all-time, and he would've easily been the best scorer in the post in today's league. Plus, Kevin had a nice jumper, could rebound and was a great defender, tall, long and pretty mobile.
Shame that his peak (even prime) lasted so little... He started to peak in 1986 then because of injuries was never quite the same after the 1987 season.

Just incredible to watch this man working in the post, and since he had such a quick way to score with hooks, crazy layups or turnaround J's immediately after catching the ball, when you add in those fakes and great footwork, defenders were simply screwed:

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

With that said, if he had to be a #1 option, and didn't play alongside a dude like Larry Bird, he wouldn't be that close to the same efficiency/impact, plus he turned into much of a black-hole if he wasn't "influenced" by other teammates to pass the ball more.

At his absolute best, I'd say something like, at max, 25 PPG on 58% from the field (top5 in FG%), with around 9 RPG, more-or-less same assists as TO's, getting all-defensive honors... Right now, he would've been the best scoring PF in the game alongside Love, and he would've been the overall best PF in the game.

Ofc he wouldn't be leading a team to nearly as much wins without Larry. He's not better than, say, a peak Nowitzki.
Again, shame that his peak lasted so little, also gotta remember that.


Sampson was done even before hitting his peak, but he wasn't even progressing all that much and was said to have poor work ethic and mentality.

Ralph was like 7'2'' and extremely athletic, that alone is good but he still had a nice skill-set to go along with it, knew how to work down-low, could hit jumpers, handle the ball, pass it some even, was a really good rebounder, good defender...

I'd say 22/11/3 with 2 blocks, on a bit over 50%... Which is about the same he did back in the day, before getting injured and done.