Ralph Simpson

Ralph Derek Simpson (born August 10, 1949) is an American former basketball player who competed in the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association from 1970 to 1980. A 6'6" guard/forward, Simpson starred at Detroit's Pershing High School, where he teamed with Spencer Haywood to win the Michigan state championship in 1967. He was offered a tryout for the 1968 United States Olympic team but turned it down.

After two strong years at Michigan State University, Simpson signed a professional contract with the ABA's Denver Rockets, later renamed the Denver Nuggets, and represented the franchise in five ABA All-Star games. His finest season came in 1971–1972, when he averaged 27.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists.

Following the ABA–NBA merger in 1976, Simpson joined the Detroit Pistons, but his production dropped sharply, from 18 points per game in 1975–1976 to 11 points per game in 1976–1977. After a season and a half, he returned to the Denver Nuggets, by then one of the former ABA teams that had joined the NBA. During his second tenure with the Nuggets he averaged only 5.5 points. His professional career ran through 1980.