UH reaches five-year deal with Kelvin Sampson

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The Houston Cougars are turning to a familiar name to restore their once proud men's basketball program.

Kelvin Sampson, who has spent the past three seasons as a top assistant coach with the Rockets, has agreed to what sources say is a five-year contract to become UH's new coach.

Sampson, 58, returns to the college ranks for the first time since 2008, when he received a five-year show-cause penalty — the harshest the NCAA can levy against an individual — for repeated violations involving impermissible and excessive telephone calls and text messages to recruits who landed his last two schools, Oklahoma and Indiana, on probation.

UH vice president for intercollegiate athletics Mack Rhoades said he spoke to former employers and co-workers of Sampson during the hiring process, as well as current and former NCAA officials.

"Those reviews were extremely encouraging," Rhoades said, "and in multiple meetings with Kelvin, he was candid and completely transparent about his mistakes in the past.

"Coach Sampson is committed to leading a first-class program in all areas and is excited to return to the college game."

Kelvin Sampson has been an assistant coach with the Rockets since the 2011-12 season.

Kelvin Sampson has been an assistant coach with the Rockets since the 2011-12 season. Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle Image 1 of / 27 Caption Close UH reaches five-year deal with Kelvin Sampson 1 / 27 Back to Gallery

Sampson, who was in Toronto with the Rockets on Wednesday night, will be introduced as UH's ninth head basketball coach at a 3 p.m. Thursday news conference at Hofheinz Pavilion and will begin his new job immediately.

"Kelvin did a good job here," Rockets coach Kevin McHale said. "He's had success wherever he's been. He's got a great recruiting base in Houston. I think that's the key thing. He gets some Houston kids to stay home, and the Cougars are filling up arenas and enjoying basketball again."

A postseason regular

The Cougars were in search of a proven winner and big-splash hire to reinvigorate a program that hasn't won an NCAA Tournament game in 30 years — since the heyday of Phi Slama Jama — and has experienced a steep decline in attendance in recent years at Hofheinz Pavilion.

Former coach James Dickey stepped down March 24, citing a "personal family matter" after posting a 64-62 record in four seasons, and Sampson quickly surfaced as a leading candidate.

Sampson has a track record of success. He led Oklahoma to the NCAA Tournament in 11 of his 12 seasons in Norman, including the Final Four in 2002 and Elite Eight in 2003. He had a string of 18 consecutive winning seasons among Washington State, Oklahoma and Indiana from 1990-2008.

Indiana hired Sampson in 2006 despite knowing he was facing an NCAA inquiry into 577 impermissible phone calls made between 2000 and 2004 at Oklahoma. A self-review by Indiana led to further allegations that Sampson made more than 100 impermissible calls while with the Hoosiers — all while under recruiting restrictions resulting from his OU tenure.

An NCAA report in February 2008 charged Sampson with five major violations and eventually led to a buyout agreement and his departure from Indiana before the end of his second season.

Owns up to 'mistake'

The NCAA passed legislation a few years ago that no longer puts restrictions on phone calls or text messages to recruits.

"I made a mistake," Sampson told the Daily Oklahoman in 2012. "There's a lot I'd like to say ... I always felt that was a rule, most coaches did what they had to do. But I made a mistake. I have to take full responsibility."

The show-cause penalty made it difficult, if not impossible, for a school to hire Sampson for five years. The penalty expired last November, allowing Sampson to revisit a return to the collegiate level.

Sampson spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks and was named McHale's top assistant — after previously interviewing for the Rockets' head coaching job — in 2011. He has interviewed for several NBA coaching jobs and served as interim coach for the Rockets when McHale took a leave of absence for family reasons last season.

At the time of Dickey's departure, Rhoades said the next coach would inherit a "very attractive opportunity."

Sampson will start with a stocked roster that includes TaShawn Thomas, Danuel House, Danrad "Chicken" Knowles and L.J. Rose. UH went 17-16 this season, highlighted by upsets over ranked opponents Connecticut, Memphis and SMU.

UH also plans to break ground in May on a new practice facility for its men's and women's programs, and upgrades are being discussed for Hofheinz Pavilion.

Among Sampson's first expected hires to his coaching staff is his son, Kellen, who spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach at Appalachian State.Thursday's news conference is open to the public.

The Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen and the Associated Press contributed to this report.