Could Kelvin Sampson Return to Oklahoma? His Comments Suggest the Door Isn’t Fully Closed
Oklahoma men’s basketball is staring down a familiar crossroads. With the program struggling to find its footing under Porter Moser - just one NCAA Tournament appearance in four seasons - fans are already looking ahead, wondering who might lead the Sooners into their next chapter. And one name keeps surfacing: Kelvin Sampson.
Sampson is no stranger to Norman. He coached the Sooners from 1994 to 2006, guiding them to 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Final Four run in 2002.
Since then, he’s rebuilt his career and reputation at Houston, turning the Cougars into a perennial powerhouse. But after a recent postgame press conference, it sounds like Sampson might be feeling the strain - and perhaps, just maybe, he’s open to a change.
“We’re Still Poor”
After Houston’s win over UCF last week, Sampson didn’t hold back when asked about the state of his program - particularly the challenges of competing in today’s college basketball landscape, where NIL deals and the Transfer Portal have reshaped how programs recruit and retain talent.
“We have a very poor athletic department,” Sampson said. “We’re poor.
You know, we were poor when I got here and we’re still poor. We probably have the lowest budget of anybody in Power Four, you know?
And, you know, the way our recruiting is going, we have to stop at some point, because we don’t have enough money to keep bringing in really good players. That’s not easy for us to do.”
That’s a remarkably candid admission from a coach whose team is currently ranked in the top five nationally and has been a fixture in March. Under Sampson, Houston has made seven consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (excluding 2020), reached the Sweet 16 six times, and made two Final Four runs - including a national runner-up finish just last season.
That kind of sustained success usually comes with institutional backing. But Sampson’s comments suggest Houston is still playing catch-up financially, even after its move to the Big 12.
A Cracked-Open Door?
Now, let’s be clear: Sampson hasn’t said he’s leaving. But in a world where elite programs are constantly evaluating their next move - and coaches are more candid than ever about the pressures of NIL and budget constraints - his words carry weight.
Sampson knows what it takes to win at the highest level, and he’s built a juggernaut at Houston despite limited resources. But at 70, and still chasing that elusive national title, he may be wondering whether he’s reached the ceiling in Houston - not because of talent or coaching, but because of dollars and cents.
That’s where Oklahoma comes in.
The Sooners haven’t been relevant on the national stage since Lon Kruger’s Final Four run in 2016. Moser, a respected coach with a strong track record at Loyola Chicago, hasn’t been able to replicate that success in Norman. And like Sampson, he’s been vocal about the lack of resources available to him - a familiar refrain in a football-first school.
But there are signs the fanbase is still hungry for basketball success. OU women’s basketball has drawn strong crowds at the Lloyd Noble Center, showing that fans will show up if the product is right and the team is winning.
The infrastructure is there. The support could be, too - if the program brings in the right leader.
The Family Factor
There’s also another layer to all of this: Kellen Sampson. Kelvin’s son has been a longtime assistant on his father’s staff and played his college ball at Oklahoma. He’s widely seen as the coach-in-waiting at Houston, but if the Sooners came calling, there’s a chance Kelvin could nudge his son toward Norman - especially if he sees a better long-term opportunity for Kellen to build his own legacy.
What’s Next?
Right now, all we have is one press conference and one very honest assessment of the financial challenges Houston faces. But in today’s college basketball world, that’s enough to spark real conversation.
Sampson didn’t have to say what he said. He could’ve deflected.
Instead, he laid it out plainly: Houston is running out of money to keep competing at an elite level.
That doesn’t mean he’s packing his bags for Norman. But it does mean that if Oklahoma decides to move on from Moser, and if the university is finally ready to invest in men’s basketball the way it has in other sports, the idea of a Sampson reunion isn’t as far-fetched as it once seemed.
And if not Kelvin, maybe Kellen. Either way, the Sampson name might not be done in Norman just yet.