Ralph Sampson

Lore & Background

The NBA Rookie of the Year, Sampson averaged 20.7 points and 10.9 rebounds for his first three seasons with the Houston Rockets before injuries began to take their toll. Three knee surgeries later, after 12 seasons in professional basketball, he retired in 1995 as a four-time NBA All-Star and the NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the 1985 NBA All-Star Game.

Reader's Guide

Sampson was born in Harrisonburg, Virginia, to Sarah and Ralph Sampson Sr. He led Harrisonburg High to state AA basketball championships in 1978 and 1979. He earned unanimous All-America honors. Playing center for the University of Virginia, he led the Cavaliers to an NIT title in 1980, an NCAA Final Four appearance in 1981, and an NCAA Elite Eight appearance in 1983. He earned three Naismith Awards as the National Player of the Year.

The Houston Rockets picked him first overall in the 1983 NBA draft. As a rookie, he averaged 21.0 points and 11.1 rebounds, played in the All-Star Game, and won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. In 1984–85, the Rockets improved to 48–34 and made the playoffs. Sampson averaged 22.1 points and 10.4 rebounds, earning All-NBA Second Team.

He and Hakeem Olajuwon both played in the 1985 NBA All-Star Game, and Sampson earned the game's MVP Award. On March 5, 1985, in a loss against the Denver Nuggets, Sampson recorded 30 points, 15 rebounds, 8 assists, and 5 steals. The next season Houston won the Midwest Division with a 51–31 record. In the playoffs, the Rockets swept the Sacramento Kings, beat the Denver Nuggets 4–2, and defeated the defending champion Lakers 4–1 in the Conference Finals.

In Game 5 of that series, Sampson hit a buzzer-beating turnaround jumper to give the Rockets a 114–112 victory. In the NBA Finals, the Rockets lost to the Boston Celtics in six games. Sampson averaged 14.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game in the Finals. In 1987, Sampson signed a $14.4 million contract for six years with the Rockets.

He made the All-Star team in the 1986–87 season, but played in just 43 games. On February 4, 1987, he suffered a major cartilage tear in his left knee. He had arthroscopic surgery and rushed his rehab for the playoffs. That year, the Rockets lost in the Conference Semifinals to the Seattle SuperSonics.

Injured nineteen games into the 1987–88 season, Sampson was traded on December 12, 1987, to the Golden State Warriors alongside reserve Steve Harris.