Ralph Sampson is often considered one of the most talented players in the history of basketball, with a stunning track record. His towering figure and jaw-dropping skills earned him several achievements and the status as the first overall pick in the 1938 NBA Draft. His injuries did limit his success in the field, but he still managed to become one of the best-known legends of basketball and an NBA Hall of Famer. If you are someone who wants to know more about the financial success story of Sampson, the following article is for you. It brings you a detailed estimate of Ralph Sampson net worth as well as an account of his success in the field.
Ralph Sampson’s Early Life: A Legend In the Making
Sampson was born to his parents who were named, Sarah and Ralph Sampson, on the 7th of July 1960 in Harrisonburg, which is located in Virginia. He shockingly attained a height of 7 ft when he was just a ninth grader. Sampson was always a basketball enthusiast and played the sport in both schools as well as college. He later became the star of his college team, leading it to state championships in the year 1978 as well as 1979.
Sampson’s astonishing performance had him getting heavily recruited by several colleges. He was later recruited as the powerful center for the University of Virginia and was featured on the cover of “Sports Illustrated” a total of 6 times. He initially planned to leave school following junior year, but he didn’t want the San Diego Clippers to draft him, so he stayed.
Ralph Sampson’s Successful NBA Career
The very next year, in 1983, the Houston Rockets drafted him and made him the first overall pick. His performance with the team as a rookie brought a storm on the basketball court as he averaged a total of 21 points and 11.1 rebounds. Despite that, the Rockets could only manage a 29-53 record in that season. In the next NBA season, Samson’s flawless performance was backed by another tall center, Hakeem Olajuwon. The Rockets finished with a 48-34 record and successfully made their way to the playoffs. This was often considered his best season with the Rockets.
The successful journey of the Houston Rockets, as well as Ralph Sampson, continued the next season as the team ended with a 51-31 record and won the Midwest Division. The Rockets marched further in the playoffs and successfully defeated the Sacramento Kings. It then faced the Lakers in the Conference Finals and defeated them in 5 games. Sampson’s jaw-dropping shot that secured the win in Game 5 is still remembered as one of the best moments in NBA history.
Ralph Sampson’s NBA Career Succumbed To Injuries
The Houston Rockets faced the Boston Celtics in the NBA finals that year, which was definitely a tough one for both the team as well as Sampson. He ended up getting ejected from Game 5 after he took a swing at Jerry Sichting, the Celtics guard. Later in the 1987-1988 season, Sampson suffered from injuries that ultimately led to the end of his NBA career. He fell out of favor with Bill Fitch, who was at that time serving as the coach for the Houston Rockets.
Sampson was then traded to the Golden State Warriors, but could only average 6.4 points and 5.0 rebounds as he started getting affected by his injuries. He was then traded to the Sacramento Kings during the offseason and played a total of 51 games in two seasons before the team released him. Before Samspson was ultimately waived, he also played another 10-game stint with the Washington Bullets.
Ralph Sampson’s Achievements During His NBA Career
During his successful career as an NBA legend, Sampson earned the title of NBA Rookie of the Year as well as NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1984. Later in the year 1985, he was also recognized as the All-NBA Second Team and was the NBA All-Star Game MVP. He had the title of NBA All-Star from 1984 to 1987 and even won a gold medal for the United States at the 1979 Pan American Games in San Juan. Sampson also won the Naismith Award as the National Player of the Year. He was also inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame back in 2011 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s induction class in 2012.
Ralph Sampson’s Basketball Career Post-NBA
Post-NBA, Sampson then played a total of 8 games in the Spanish League during the memorable season of 1911-1992. He also went ahead and played for the Rockford Lightning in the Continental Basketball Association during 1994-1995. He then retired from basketball and coached several teams, but did not establish a strong coaching career.
Ralph Sampson’s Current Net Worth And Career Earnings
According to the reports, Ralph Sampson net worth is estimated to stand somewhere around $4 million. Records reveal that Sampson’s salary when his basketball career was at its peak stood somewhere around $17 million. He earned his highest NBA salary toward the end of his career, which was $2.85 million for a single season. Now, Sampson is the owner of The Sampson Group, which focuses on providing advisory services. These services include strategic planning, along with financial analysis as well as market research, and risk management.
Ralph Sampson’s Personal Life And Legal Battles
Ralph Sampson’s son, Ralph Sampson III, not only took his name but also took his legacy forward and played college basketball for the University of Minnesota. On the other hand, his younger son, Robert, was transferred to Georgia Tech after he played around 3 seasons for East Carolina University. The NBA legend is also a father of 4 daughters, namely Rachel, India, Leah, and Anna. Back in 2005, it was revealed that Ralph pleaded guilty to owing more than $300K in back child support for two children from different mothers in the Northern Virginia area. Sampson was also sentenced to 2 months in prison for mail fraud related to his SUV purchase back in 2006.
