Rockets Legend Makes Claim About Modern NBA

Former Houston Rockets center Ralph Sampson made a bold claim on his impact had he played in the modern NBA.

Jan 18, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Former Houston Rockets player Ralph Sampson is honored during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Ralph Sampson is undoubtedly one of the greatest players in Houston Rockets history. The 7-foot-4 giant racked up plenty of awards across just nine NBA seasons, including a Rookie of the Year award, four All-Star selections and an All-Star MVP.

Sampson averaged 15.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game throughout his career, but at his peak during the 1984-85 season, he put up 22.1 points, 10.4 rebounds and two blocks per game. Had his career not been cut short due to injuries, he could've been one of the greatest to ever play basketball.

The Rockets legend recently interviewed with Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints, and despite his limited impact in the league's era of the past, he believes he could hold up well in the modern NBA.

Ralph Sampson says he would average 30 and 20 in today’s NBA

“I could have played in this era for sure and I would probably dominate the game more than I dominated the game in the past. 30 and 20. Easy. They say I'm Wemby, the first, he's Wemby, the second. But I'm Ralph the… pic.twitter.com/ZUHlbOeiJi

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“But you know, I could have played in this era for sure and I would probably dominate the game more than I dominated the game in the past," Sampson said. "30 and 20. Easy."

"They say I'm Wemby, the first, he's Wemby, the second. But I'm Ralph the first, he's Ralph the second. I could post-up, I could dribble, and I could shoot outside. We didn't shoot many 3s when I played, but I'm sure my mindset would've been really tough to play and would've been at an elite level of the game."

Sampson has been compared to current San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, as the two have similar heights. Wembanyama, a French phenom who already has an All-Star appearance in just two seasons, averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.8 blocks per game.

It's certainly a bold take from the 65-year-old, as the league has expanded to positionless basketball and an emphasis on shooting. Sampson never extended his shots beyond the midrange, but perhaps he could have adapted.

If Sampson couldn't hold up too long in the 1980s' NBA, there's doubt that he could handle the modern era. Plenty of centers who lack jump shots are still in the league with solid roles, but very few have become stars, let alone averaging 30 points and 20 rebounds per game in 2025.