Don't you remember the original Twin Towers, as far as athletic metaphors go? It wasn't Tim Duncan and David Robinson, who you could say turned out to be the more successful duo, rather Ralph Sampson and Akeem Olajuwon with the Houston Rockets back in the 80s. That was it right there. A pair of Hall of Fame big men who couldn't quite live up to the potential as a tandem.
That doesn't take away from either player's accomplishments as an individual, and Sampson can add the Hall of Fame as the latest one to his list. While former Indiana Pacers guard Reggie Miller will headline the 2012 class, Sampson and former NBA head coach Don Nelson also highlight this year's ballot.
Here is a look at the complete 2012 class:
Reggie Miller
Don Nelson
Jamaal Wilkes
Chet Walker
Mel Daniels, former ABA star for the Pacers.
Ralph Sampson
Katrina McClain, two-time Olympic champion
Hank Nichols, official
All American Red Heads, the first women's professional basketball team
Don Barksdale, one of the first African-American players in the league
Lidia Alexeeva, former Soviet Union women's player
Phil Knight, co-founder of Nike
It's worth noting that Sampson is likely being inducted based on his collegiate career at Virginia where he was a three-time College Player of the Year.
For more on the Rockets, visit The Dream Shake blog and for additional news on the basketball hall of fame, go to our NBA hub page.