Houston Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson became the 17th coach in Division I basketball to win 800 games after leading the team to a season-opener win against Lehigh on Tuesday. He improved the record to 2-0 after a 65-48 win against Towson on Sunday. However, joining the 800-wins club is not easy, and Sampson reached that mark by making a difference in people’s lives.
Kelvin Sampson’s Heartfelt Story About Magic Johnson
The story dates back to 1979, when Sampson was a graduate assistant at Michigan State. While the 70-year-old coached the junior varsity team, he reminisced about the time he rushed downstairs to watch Johnson, who used to play on the varsity team.
For fans and his friends, Johnson had plenty of nicknames, including ‘Magic’ or ‘Buck,’ but for Sampson, he was just ‘Earvin.’
“I’d be up at practice with the JV team, and I couldn’t wait to go downstairs with the varsity,” Sampson said. “Because I got to see Earvin practice. I got to see everything he did. We’d do this thing called Daily Dozen. Six shots to the right. Six shots to the left. He went an entire season and never missed a shot.”
“That’s amazing, isn’t it?” Sampson continued. “He never missed a shot. He just mastered that.”
Thereafter, Johnson was picked as the first overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, after leading Michigan to a national championship. It was great to see Sampson get nostalgic about the 12-time NBA All-Star. For now, he continues to lead the Cougars, marking his 12th season as the team’s head coach.
The Cougars had a phenomenal start to the season as Sampson’s team looks to be in perfect synergy. They won both their games with a solid double-digit margin, with senior players such as Emanuel Sharp combining with freshman Kingston Flemings and Chris Cenac Jr.
In two games, Sharp is leading the team in scoring, averaging 16.5 points on 47.6% shooting. On the other hand, freshman Chris Cenac Jr. is averaging double-digit rebounds, with 11.5 per game in 27.5 minutes.
The Cougars have substantial roster depth, combining fresh blood with the experience of senior players. This could lead them to a deep postseason run. The Cougars finished as runner-up against the Florida Gators last season and will now look to win the championship.
They will now get ready to face the Oakland Golden Grizzlies on Thursday.
