Special to the Post from Give to Change Foundation

Once known as the most heavily recruited high school athlete of all time, Ralph Sampson, grew up in Harrisburg, Va., and was the top high school basketball player in the country.

His 7-foot, 4-inch stature made him a true freak of nature. But it wasn’t just his size that was impressive — he could handle the basketball and run the floor like a guard. This skill had never been showcased by someone of his size. On the University of Virginia’s basketball team, he was celebrated with Player of the Year accolades and numerous offers to leave college early to play in the NBA.

But education was key for Sampson who wanted to graduate from college. Unbeknownst to the public, Sampson’s choice to pass up money for a college degree was a courageous step for him because he had dyslexia. That was the bigger victory for Ralph as he crossed the stage with a college degree in hand.

After graduation, he entered the NBA draft in 1983 and was the No. 1 pick by the Houston Rockets, where Ralph would later be known as one half of the “Twin Towers.”

Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon became a dominating duo in and outside the “paint,” with jaw-dropping performances through the 1980s. Ralph excited arenas across the country with plays that would constantly snatch headlines, until a terrible knee injury cut his playing days short.

But that injury didn’t stop Sampson from being selected into the Naismith NBA Basketball Hall of Fame. Eventually, Sampson was traded to the Golden State Warriors, where he played the Center position.

Today, Sampson is still credited with re-engineering the “Big Man” position, inspiring the likes of fellow Warriors Kevin Durant, Chris Webber, Kevin Garnett and others to diversify their play outside of the norm.

In addition, Ralph Sampson is now using his tall influence to give forward. He has a new Venture fund, charity and advocacy initiative, that supports small businesses and upcoming student athletes.

This is one of his motivations to stay active in the Bay Area, where he once played for our own Golden State Warriors. Ralph quietly worked with youth and business owners to assist them in various capacities. Gary Reeves, a local philanthropic contributor worked closely with Ralph to deploy resources back into the community at large.

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