Rockets legend makes outrageous claim about his impact in the modern game

Ralph Sampson is a Houston Rockets legend. Nobody should underestimate his abilities, but he recently made some outrageous comments about how he'd fare in 2025.

It's an age-old debate. Should professional athletes have confidence that borders on delusion? Is that what led them to success? Or, is it best to have a realistic mindset?

Wherever you stand, Sampson seems to stray from realism. In a recent interview, he gave an estimate of what his stats might look like if he played in 2025. Spoiler alert:

He thinks he'd be pretty good.

Rockets legend Ralph Sampson makes bold claim

"I would probably dominate the game more than I dominated the game in the past. 30 and 20. Easy"

- Ralph Sampson

Wow.

30 and 20. That's a gaudy stat line. Nobody has averaged 20 rebounds per game since Wilt Chamberlain in 1967. So, this is quite the claim.

Sampson presumably feels that he'd use his imposing size to dominate. Fair enough. Sampson was 7'4". At 228 pounds, he was actually ahead of his time. Where most big men in his day were heavier, Sampson used his relative lightness to gain a mobility advantage.

The idea of him in the modern context is intriguing. Sampson might be built for the modern game. His physical profile resembles that of Victor Wembanyama or Chet Holmgren. He'd be a force in any era of basketball.

Would he average 30 and 20?

Rockets legend Ralph Sampson would thrive in the modern era

No. Obviously not. It's an absurd notion.

Sampson's best season in the NBA came as a sophomore. He averaged 22.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game. Those are remarkable numbers for a sophomore, and Sampson seemed to be on his way to perennial MVP consideration.

Regrettably, Sampson's career was marred by injury. He's one of the NBA's great "what if" stories. Along with Yao Ming, he's certainly one of the two most significantly injury-prone players in Rockets history.

That said, he'd presumably be injury-prone in 2025 as well. Part of why Sampson wouldn't reach his ambitious 30 and 20 marks is that in 2025, teams would insist on managing his injuries more closely. He wouldn't be on the floor enough to put up those numbers.

More broadly, the game has changed. Nobody averages 20 rebounds per game anymore because there's a stronger emphasis on team rebounding. How about those 30 points per game?

It can't be ruled out, but it would be difficult. It may depend on how accurate Sampson could be from long range. If he was able to create some gravity on the perimeter, it's feasible to think he could be a team's number one option. Sampson was that talented.

That's why it doesn't really matter if he's making an absurd claim. This piece is just having a bit of fun at his expense. Sampson is a Rockets legend who'd be able to play in 2025:

Even if 30 and 20 is a bit ambitious.