Author Topic: Ralph Sampson w/ an interesting Red Auerbach story  (Read 2566 times)

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Ralph Sampson w/ an interesting Red Auerbach story
« on: December 20, 2017, 01:38:27 PM »

Offline Eddie20

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On The Herd, Sampson just said that Red Auerbach visited him and his parents house and he had a million dollars in his briefcase and said "come play for the mighty Boston Celtics". Sampson said that if he had accepted and declared for the draft he would've gone #1. So obviously the C's never would've traded down and drafted McHale at #3 and Parish would've been stuck rotting in Golden State.


Re: Ralph Sampson w/ an interesting Red Auerbach story
« Reply #1 on: December 20, 2017, 02:00:32 PM »

Offline slamtheking

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another example of sometimes the best deal is the one you don't make

Re: Ralph Sampson w/ an interesting Red Auerbach story
« Reply #2 on: December 20, 2017, 02:02:24 PM »

Online Who

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Man, that would have been awesome. If only for a short period.

Imagine Ralph Sampson playing off of Larry Bird's passing ...
Imagine Ralph Sampson's shooting with Bird setting him up ...

Oh my, that would have been beautiful.

Re: Ralph Sampson w/ an interesting Red Auerbach story
« Reply #3 on: December 20, 2017, 03:14:00 PM »

Online rocknrollforyoursoul

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On The Herd, Sampson just said that Red Auerbach visited him and his parents house and he had a million dollars in his briefcase and said "come play for the mighty Boston Celtics". Sampson said that if he had accepted and declared for the draft he would've gone #1. So obviously the C's never would've traded down and drafted McHale at #3 and Parish would've been stuck rotting in Golden State.

Hindsight is 20-20, of course, but McHale/Parish turned out a lot better than Sampson. Interesting story, though—kinda like how Ainge's "king's ransom" for Justice Winslow was turned down (thankfully).
"There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, 'All right, then, have it your way.'"

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Re: Ralph Sampson w/ an interesting Red Auerbach story
« Reply #4 on: December 20, 2017, 03:14:52 PM »

Offline stb

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One of many awesome stories in "The Last Banner"

https://www.amazon.com/LAST-BANNER-1985-86-Celtics-Greatest/dp/0684800853

Re: Ralph Sampson w/ an interesting Red Auerbach story
« Reply #5 on: December 20, 2017, 03:48:35 PM »

Offline Moranis

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Sampson didn't enter the draft until 1983, this makes it seem like Red wanted him after his freshman year in 1980.  That seems pretty unlikely.  No one was leaving college that early at that point (from Dawkins and Willoughby in 75 until basically the early 90's no one was leaving college before at least 3 years).  Additionally, while Sampson was very good for a freshman, he wasn't some dominant unstoppable force putting up huge numbers.  It just doesn't seem like a very plausible story.

On another note, if that did happen and he did declare, that 83 draft would have been downright terrible with Clyde Drexler at 14 being the only good/great player
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip