Sampson, Ralph L. Jr.
Basketball
b. July 7, 1960, Harrisonburg, VA
The 7-foot-4, 230-pound Sampson was the third player in history to be named player of the year for three years in a row. A center at the University of Virginia, he won the award from 1981 through 1983, scoring 2,228 points and pulling down 1,511 rebounds in 132 games. He also blocked 462 shots.
Sampson was the first player chosen in the 1983 NBA draft, by the Houston Rockets. He was named rookie of the year after scoring 1,722 points, collecting 913 rebounds, and blocking 197 shots. He had a record 13 blocked shots in one game.
The Rockets drafted Hakeem Olajuwon to play center in 1984 and Sampson moved to forward, where he was a success because of a good outside shot and quickness to the basket. As time went on, however, Sampson became unhappy with the situation and he was traded to the Golden State Warriors during the 1986-87 season.
Chronic knee problems limited his playing time from that point on and he was forced to retire after undergoing knee surgery in March of 1988.