Tall orders

     By Todd Dewey
     View staff writer
      Most of the kids at his camp weren't even born when he dominated the world of college basketball as a three-time College Player of the Year at the University of Virginia.
      They were still in the crib when Ralph Sampson -- a 7-foot, 4-inch center hailed by some as the next Wilt Chamberlain -- was taken by the Houston Rockets with the first overall pick of the 1983 NBA Draft.
      And they were probably just starting to crawl when Sampson, one of Houston's "Twin Towers" -- along with Hakeem Olajuwon -- helped lead the Rockets to two appearances in the NBA Finals.
      The 48 boys and girls who took part in the recent Ralph Sampson Basketball School in Henderson may recall the gentle giant's final days in the NBA, when knee injuries forced him to retire from the game in 1993.
      But that didn't stop the budding basketball players, ages 8-18, from praising their mentor.
      "It's really awesome," 14-year-old Taylor Campbell said of the camp. "I've never had a teacher like Ralph before. He knows what he's talking about. I wish I would've been able to watch him play, but I'm just glad I had the opportunity to learn from him."
      Campbell, who will be a freshman at Las Vegas Academy in the fall and recently started playing basketball, said he learned a lot at the camp, which ran from July 24-28 at the Warren-Walker Upper School gymnasium.
      "I learned a lot of special ways to rebound, a correct shot form, and good exercises to warm up to," Campbell said. "The camp is really tiring, but in the end, it's worth the effort. It's a lot of hard work, but you don't really consider it hard work. It's a lot of fun."
      Gabriela Linder, a 12-year-old who will be a seventh grader at Warren-Walker in the fall, also learned a lot at the camp.
      "I've learned a lot of different ways to dodge defenders," she said. "I love basketball and this has inspired me to become a better player. I'd love to be a WNBA player."
      Linder wasn't even born when Sampson buried an off-balance buzzer-beater to sink the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1986 Western Conference Finals, but she is aware of his accomplishments now.
      "It's really thrilling to have an experienced coach and player teach us at this camp," she said.
      Sampson, who guided the Richmond Rhythm to the International Basketball League finals this past season, has conducted camps since 1984.
      "I knew, after starting my camp, that I loved teaching the game," Sampson, who recently turned 40, said. "I'm focused on coaching and teaching kids basketball. That's where my heart is and that's where I'm going to be."
      Sampson, who looks like he could still play in the NBA, would eventually like to return to the league as a coach.
      "I'd like to be an NBA or major college coach," he said. "I love my chances. It's all sheer work and determination. I don't think anyone is going to outwork me.
      "We went to the IBL championship game this year and we were under .500. Nobody thought we would do that."
      Sampson decided to bring his Virginia-based basketball school to Las Vegas earlier this year, when the Rhythm was in town to take on the Silver Bandits.
      "We had an opportunity to practice here (at Warren-Walker) one time and I thought this was a good place to hold my camp. This area is fun and exciting," he said. "We're trying to expand this across the country. I was amazed at the growth of Henderson and I'm truly impressed with what Las Vegas has to offer -- not just the Strip, but the city itself."
      Monique Linder, of Warren-Walker, was truly impressed with the Ralph Sampson Basketball School.
      "We've had other camps, but the Ralph Sampson clinic is so professional and so organized," she said. "A lot of times coaches make it half-day camps, but he's here all the time. Ralph Sampson is overseeing the camp from beginning to end every day."
      The camp, which ran from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each day, featured lectures and demonstrations by Sampson, individual instruction and evaluation and tournament and league competition.
      In addition to providing skills and conditioning drills, the camp covered other topics as well, including nutrition and academics.
      The Ralph Sampson Basketball School bills itself as an organization dedicated to the total training of the mind, body and spirit of today's youth.
      "We motivate the kids not necessarily for basketball, but for life," Sampson said. "We try to give them a little more than just basketball.
      "We relate it to school and taking a test. We'll do certain drills every day and then put it to the test in games every day. We give the kids what they deserve. It's not about how many kids we have, it's about giving back to the kids and what they can take away from it."
      Sampson, who brought his own two boys to the camp, said he enjoys getting to know the kids at his basketball school and it's rewarding to watch them grow.
      "My favorite part is just getting to know them, just the camaraderie with the kids. I have a relationship with them by the end of the week," he said. "And I like watching them learn. They can't do something on Tuesday, but by Thursday or Friday, they know how to do it. That's a great feeling."
      While Sampson's goal of winning an NBA championship was never realized, he said he was satisfied with his pro career.
      "I came into the league to achieve a championship. I didn't win a championship, but I got to it," he said. "I think I did my career well. My kids enjoy seeing me play, on tapes and stuff, and they have a good time.
      "Anything else, I could care less about."