Yao Ming vs. Ralph Sampson

[Stringer Bell]

Injury-plagued Houston big guys.

Whom do you think was the better player at their peak?

Yao had the better numbers, but he was also playing in a shiit era of centers.

[Gotterdammerung]

Yao was probably the better low post scorer. His legs were thick like tree trunks -- nobody was pushing him off the block. Not even Shaquille O'Neal. Yao was pretty slow on defensive rotations though, and Van Gundy had him defend way too far from the hoop to contain the ball in pick and roll situations.

Ralph Sampson was more athletic and could do more things - dribble and shoot from outside of the paint. Better one on one defender, ran the floor like a deer. But he didn't like to bang down low like a traditional center.

[inclinerator]

yao would put up great numbers against any center

[Stringer Bell]

The Rockets got some bad luck here, although they definitely got good luck in getting Olajuwon a year after getting Sampson (thanks to tanking).

I agree that Sampson was more athletic. He wanted to revolutionize the position and play like a guard while being 7'4. He had good quickness and coordination for his size. He had some nice low post moves, but Yao had the better footwork and polish in the post. He also had a solid jumper too.

Still not sure whom I'd pick in their prime.

[LAZERUSS]

The Rockets got some bad luck here, although they definitely got good luck in getting Olajuwon a year after getting Sampson (thanks to tanking).

I agree that Sampson was more athletic. He wanted to revolutionize the position and play like a guard while being 7'4. He had good quickness and coordination for his size. He had some nice low post moves, but Yao had the better footwork and polish in the post. He also had a solid jumper too.

Still not sure whom I'd pick in their prime.

More like 7-1 1/2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_k-U6SwRlo#t=1m7s

[ClipperRevival]

I would take Yao in most situations. If I needed just an athletic big to p&r, play some D and run the floor I take Ralph but any other situation, I take Yao. He was the classic, back to the basket big who you can run an offense through. He was one of the few men in history that made Shaq look small. He was mammoth and had 70-80 lbs on Sampson. At his peak, he gave you 25/10/2. Also an amazimg FT shooter. He had rare touch.

[sportjames23]

Yao was probably the better low post scorer. His legs were thick like tree trunks -- nobody was pushing him off the block. Not even Shaquille O'Neal. Yao was pretty slow on defensive rotations though, and Van Gundy had him defend way too far from the hoop to contain the ball in pick and roll situations.

Ralph Sampson was more athletic and could do more things - dribble and shoot from outside of the paint. Better one on one defender, ran the floor like a deer. But he didn't like to bang down low like a traditional center.

Yup.

[L.Kizzle]

I would take Yao in most situations. If I needed just an athletic big to p&r, play some D and run the floor I take Ralph but any other situation, I take Yao. He was the classic, back to the basket big who you can run an offense through. He was one of the few men in history that made Shaq look small. He was mammoth and had 70-80 lbs on Sampson. At his peak, he gave you 25/10/2. Also an amazimg FT shooter. He had rare touch.

But how would Yao do in the 80s playing against guys like Robert Parish, Moses Malone, Kareem, Laimbeer, Ewing, Bob Lanier, ect?

While Sampson in the mid 2000s, dogs people like Brad Miller, Jamaal Magloire and Marcus Camby, IMO.

[ClipperRevival]

But how would Yao do in the 80s playing against guys like Robert Parish, Moses Malone, Kareem, Laimbeer, Ewing, Bob Lanier, ect?

While Sampson in the mid 2000s, dogs people like Brad Miller, Jamaal Magloire and Marcus Camby, IMO.

True, Sampson played in a tougher era for bigs but I am looking at Yao in a vacuum. The guy was a freak in terms of size with amazing touch and solid coordination. Most mammoth guys that big can't walk and chew gum at the same time. But Yao could utilize solid footwork, pivot, and shoot it with touch. Wasn't he highly effective from the set jumper? I mean 7'6", 310 lbs, coordinated, touch, can move his feet, back to the basket game, hit the set jumper, hit FTs at nearly 90%, some rim protection. His only flaw was obviously his lateral mobility and ability to explode off the floor but his positives are outweighed his negatives imo.