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At 70 years old, Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson has reached the point where he'll get asked if he's retiring entering every offseason. And after the Cougars were defeated in the Sweet 16 by the Illinois Fighting Illini on Thursday, rumors arose once again.
But once again, Sampson isn't done, telling CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein that he will not retire and he'll return for the 2026-27 season. He put a button on his decision to return, revealing an increased enthusiasm to continue coaching.
"I'm excited as I've ever been to keep coaching," he told Rothstein.
Houston had a tremendous 2025-26 campaign, finishing with a 30-7 overall record. They were both the Big 12 regular season champions and conference champions, completing a clean sweep in their third season in the conference.
The Cougars' roster was stacked with NBA-level talent, with freshman guard Kingston Flemings and forward Chris Cenac Jr. leading the way. While it was a disappointment to fall to the Fighting Illini prior to reaching the national championship game, where they reached last season, Sampson showed that he isn't slowing down anytime soon from patrolling the sidelines.
The 2026-27 campaign will be Sampson's 12th season at the helm for the Cougars and 34th overall as a head coach, which included stops at Washington State, Oklahoma and Indiana.
Contact/Follow@College_Wire on X and@College_Wires on Threads. Like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of college sports news, notes, and opinions.
This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Houston Basketball: Kelvin Sampson to return amid retirement rumors
Continue reading...
But once again, Sampson isn't done, telling CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein that he will not retire and he'll return for the 2026-27 season. He put a button on his decision to return, revealing an increased enthusiasm to continue coaching.
"I'm excited as I've ever been to keep coaching," he told Rothstein.
Houston had a tremendous 2025-26 campaign, finishing with a 30-7 overall record. They were both the Big 12 regular season champions and conference champions, completing a clean sweep in their third season in the conference.
The Cougars' roster was stacked with NBA-level talent, with freshman guard Kingston Flemings and forward Chris Cenac Jr. leading the way. While it was a disappointment to fall to the Fighting Illini prior to reaching the national championship game, where they reached last season, Sampson showed that he isn't slowing down anytime soon from patrolling the sidelines.
The 2026-27 campaign will be Sampson's 12th season at the helm for the Cougars and 34th overall as a head coach, which included stops at Washington State, Oklahoma and Indiana.
Contact/Follow@College_Wire on X and@College_Wires on Threads. Like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of college sports news, notes, and opinions.
This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Houston Basketball: Kelvin Sampson to return amid retirement rumors
Continue reading...
