Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson is set to return for the 2026-27 college basketball season, as first reported by Jon Rothstein on Saturday. Sampson told Rothstein, “I’m excited as I’ve ever been to keep coaching.” And for the Big 12 Conference, this is a huge win.
Sampson is 70 years old, but just look around the Sweet 16, and you will see some of the best coaches in the country still doing it well into their 60’s and 70’s. Along with Sampson, you’ve got Tom Izzo, Rick Pitino and Rick Barnes who were all coaching this weekend, and don’t show signs of slowing down.
The Old-Timers are Coaching Longer
In many respects, coaching at an older age has never been easier. If you’re a well-resourced program, and you have a staff you trust who can recruit and pay the going rate for top players, in some ways today’s climate is easier for basketball. Now, I’m not saying it’s less complicated, it’s not. But, the NIL world has made is easier for certain programs to keep its consistent and winning ways going. Now Sampson has talked plenty about needing more money for his players to keep Houston basketball winning at a high level, but he also knows if he leaves, the odds of that happening are slim to none. He should want to get the recruiting up as he hopes to hand the program off to his son, Kellen, who is the coach-in-waiting.
Sampson’s Return for the Big 12
Now as for the Big 12, this is obviously welcomed news as the league tries to maintain itself as the best conference in college basketball. The reality is its been a disappointing NCAA Tournament for the conference. The league only got three teams to the Sweet 16, and one to the Elite 8. It’s hard to call yourself the second-best basketball league in America behind the NBA with those numbers in the Big Dance.
The way to keep the Big 12 in the conversation with consistent National Champions and a league very deep at the top is to make sure Kelvin Sampson stays coaching at Houston as long as he can, or at long as he wants to. And now we know that’s at least for one more season.
