Former Kings coach/commentator Jerry Reynolds tells Bill Russell-Ralph Sampson story

[Im Still Ballin]

The time stamp is 59:16 from this 2021 podcast.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/training-camp-preview-and-30-questions-with-jerry-reynolds/id661990239?i=1000536212833

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7tWVOVrCFV2pWV1sGPuFeK


I've told this story before, but I still think it's one of the most unique stories about Russell that struck me, always has, is, he was the General Manager at the time, and I was his coach, and he had traded for Ralph Sampson. Traded Jim Petersen for Ralph Sampson.

...

We were up in the office ... Bill said, "Now, Ralph, how tall are you actually?" He said, "Well, I'm, coach Russell, I'm seven-foot-two." Bill said, "Well, I'm just a little bit short of six-foot-ten."

...

Bill said, "Ralph, I want you to get here in the office and I want you to reach as high as you can reach." And so Ralph stood up, you know, and reached his length as high as he could, and Bill stood next to him and reached right over the top of him. He put most of his hand right above Ralph's.

...

That was, talk about an eye-opener. It's like, now I get it. Now I get it. You know? You weren't just a great athlete, but you weren't really just 6'10".

[Im Still Ballin]

Here are all the 7'1.5" to 7'2.5" barefoot guys in the old DraftExpress database. First column is height without shoes, second is with shoes; fourth and fifth are wingspan & standing reach. Between the eight measurements, the standing reach average comes out to 113.025 inches - a 9'5" standing reach. 87.42875 inches for the wingspan - 7'3.4".

https://i.ibb.co/TBBV4CvM/NkGVesM.png

Reports have Bill with a greater standing reach than 7'2" Kareem, 7'2" Sampson, 7'3" Swede Halbrook, and even 7'1" Wilt, who had a 9'6" standing reach.

[tpols]

Height is overrated. Wingspan and standing reach are king in basketball.

[warriorfan]

Here are all the 7'1.5" to 7'2.5" barefoot guys in the old DraftExpress database. First column is height without shoes, second is with shoes; fourth and fifth are wingspan & standing reach. Between the eight measurements, the standing reach average comes out to 113.025 inches - a 9'5" standing reach. 87.42875 inches for the wingspan - 7'3.4".

https://i.ibb.co/TBBV4CvM/NkGVesM.png

Reports have Bill with a greater standing reach than 7'2" Kareem, 7'2" Sampson, 7'3" Swede Halbrook, and even 7'1" Wilt, who had a 9'6" standing reach.

I always thought personally Russell was 6 10ish

In today’s nba they would probably inflate it up a little and just say he’s 7 feet tall.

It’s amazing but I could believe that story with him being under 7 foot. He had a freaky body even for a pro hoops player.

Also that office must of had some tall ceilings :lol

[warriorfan]

I think Sampson got listed as 7 4 from some sources

[Mask the Embiid]

For people who dont know your wingspan is pretty much your real height in basketball. Thats why people like 6'8 Elton brand use to roll over and get 20/10. He is undersized height wise but with his 7'5 wingspan he's pretty much 7'5. Thats why his shot was unblockable, why he got a lot of blocks even for being "short", and ..... i forgot the last thing i was going to write....im going to post this anyway but it helps another way too



o yeah boards


So if im 6'6 at pf but have a 7'1 wingspan.....im pretty much 7'1 defensively the way i can disrupt your passing angles/shot. sneaky tip

[warriorfan]

Being more on the shorter side and having a large wingspan and standing reach also gives you a lower center of gravity and makes it better for getting into and holding position down low.

[Xiao Yao You]

I think Sampson got listed as 7 4 from some sources

All sources but he was obviously shorter than eaton