Top 20 former Michigan State Spartans to play in the NBA
By Riley Nisbet
18. Ralph Simpson
A quick glance at Ralph Simpson‘s stat lines may initially be surprising for a player this far down on the list.
For the first six years of his career, Simpson averaged 20.4 points per game and was selected to five consecutive All-Star games.
However, after two seasons at Michigan State in 1968-70, Simpson was drafted by the Denver Rockets in the American Basketball Association. Simpson’s first six seasons were spent in the ABA as a member of the Denver Rockets (later the Denver Nuggets), before the ABA/NBA merger in 1976.
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After the merger, Simpson’s efficiency as a player slowed considerably and immediately.
In his four playing years following the merger, Simpson played for five different teams and averaged only 8.4 points per game. In his final year in the ABA, Simpson shot a career-high 51 percent from the field, but would not crack higher than 42 percent in the NBA.
On a list of great Michigan State basketball players, Simpson deserves recognition. On a list of great NBA players, Simpson falls somewhat short.