In a surprising turn of events, University of Houston men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson has interviewed for the Milwaukee Bucks head coaching job.
But it sounds like that could be about the end of it. The Houston Chronicle is reporting the 67-year-old Sampson has agreed to a revised contract with UH that will now pay him $3.4 million next season, making him one of the top 15 highest paid college basketball coaches in the nation.
Sampson seemed to confirm he is staying in a released statement, “Can’t wait to compete in the Big 12 next season. Go Coogs!”
Still, the news that Sampson, who recently completed his ninth season leading the Cougars, was interested enough in an NBA opening to interview. But he does have history with the Bucks and general manager Jon Horst. Sampson spent three seasons (2008-11) as an assistant coach with the Bucks when Horst was a member of the franchise’s front office.
Sampson, who has also been a head coach at Indiana, Oklahoma, and Washington State, spent six seasons working as an NBA assistant coach. Three of those seasons he worked as an assistant with the Rockets.
If Sampson were to leave UH, the timing couldn’t be worse. The school is transitioning from the American Athletic Conference to the Power 5 Big 12 conference this upcoming school year. Sampson’s presence immediately makes the Cougars one of the top men’s basketball programs in the league.
He has transformed the Cougars back into a national championship contender during his tenure. UH, which spent much this past season as the nation’s No.1 ranked team, went 33-4 overall and 17-1 in the AAC and earned a No.1 seed in the NCAA Tournament where the Cougars advanced to the Sweet 16. They made it to the Final Four in 2021.
Sampson has compiled a 232-74 record in nine seasons at UH.
