NBA fans love to compare previous eras with the current one, predicting who could defeat whom in fantasy games that will never happen.
But it’s not just fans who enjoy this exercise, because former players do it too.
NBA Hall of Famer Ralph Sampson feels that he could compete with today’s players, and even thinks he’d score 30 points and 20 rebounds a night.
“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 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 said.
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
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 26, 2025
San Antonio Spurs followers might be upset by Sampson’s comment about Victor Wembanyama, even if they respect and cherish all that he did during his years in the league.
He started in the NBA in 1983-84, first playing for the Houston Rockets before moving to the Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, and finally the Washington Bullets.
His career average of 15.4 points and 8.8 rebounds is far from the 30 and 20 he says he could do now, but it’s still very impressive and was enough to make him an All-Star four times and earn his spot in the Hall.
He was also Rookie of the Year and All-Star MVP in 1984-85.
Sampson did a lot of great things during his nine seasons in the league, but the game has evolved a lot since then, and some people might find it hard to believe that he could keep up with today’s players.
That’s not a criticism of his abilities, but rather an assessment of how the game has evolved.
However, Sampson has his opinions and isn’t afraid to share them.
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