Kelvin Sampson: Building a Basketball Powerhouse on a Budget
The relationship between NCAAM coaches Mick Cronin and Kelvin Sampson stretches back to their days competing in the American Conference, before Houston’s ascent to the Big 12. Recently, a playful exchange between the two coaches highlighted Sampson’s concerns about funding disparities within college basketball.
Cronin’s $1 Gesture
Mick Cronin, known for his candid postgame assessments, responded to Kelvin Sampson’s recent comments about Houston’s athletic department budget with a humorous gesture. After Sampson lamented his program’s financial limitations compared to other power conference schools, Cronin sent him $1 via Venmo.
“Mick Cronin had the best line,” Sampson shared with college basketball reporter Jeff Goodman. “He Venmo’d me a dollar… (and) he said, ‘Yo, man, I heard your shtick – at postgame press conferences, you gotta learn not to say certain things. But I did get that you don’t have very much, so here’s a dollar.’”
Kelvin Sampson reveals that after his comments about Houston’s athletic department last week, Mick Cronin Venmo’d him $1: “He said yo man, I heard your presser. I’d like to help, so here’s one dollar” 😂😂😂 🎥: https://t.co/Zdh8RLR44i pic.twitter.com/5JxNIEWG5w
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) February 16, 2026
Cronin’s playful jab comes from a place of experience; he’s known for his blunt critiques of his own players after games. Following UCLA’s significant loss at Michigan, he described his team’s second-half performance as “god-awful.”
Houston’s Financial Reality
Sampson’s initial comments stemmed from a postgame interview after Houston’s 79-55 victory over UCF on February 4th. “We have a very poor athletic department. We’re poor,” Sampson stated frankly. “We were poor when I got here, and we’re still poor.”
Despite the financial constraints, the Cougars have flourished under Sampson’s leadership since 2014. Currently ranked second nationally with a 23-2 record, Houston has secured seven consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including two Final Four runs. However, their athletic department operates on the lowest budget among power conference programs. In fiscal year 2025, Houston allocated $99 million to sports, significantly less than schools like Texas, Ohio State, Georgia, and Michigan, which each exceed $200 million.
Navigating NIL and Recruiting
Sampson expressed concerns about maintaining competitiveness in the evolving landscape of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and revenue sharing. “Teams that have the best recruiting classes usually have the most money,” he explained. “That’s the way it is today. It’s not about who we want to sign. It’s, ‘Who can we afford to sign?’”
Despite these challenges, Houston has successfully attracted top talent, securing the No. 3 recruiting class in the nation for the current season, featuring projected NBA first-round picks Kingston Flemings and Chris Cenac Jr. They also retained key upperclassmen Milos Uzan and Emanuel Sharp, who chose to return to Houston rather than pursue professional opportunities or transfer.
“We participate in the NIL just like everybody else,” Sampson assured. “We know what our kids’ market value is. Trust me, they’re not starving here. They’re getting exactly what the market is for them.”
The Cougars remain strong contenders for the 2026 national championship, and perhaps Cronin’s symbolic $1 donation will contribute to their continued success.
Devon Henderson is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering college sports and the Olympics. Follow him on Twitter @HendersonDevon_
