The sun beats down on Don Sanders Field at Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park in Houston, Texas. It’s June, when the average temperatures hover around a high of 92.3° Fahrenheit.
Houston’s men’s basketball program is using the university’s baseball field on these summer Mondays for a specific drill: 18 100-yard sprints in the Texas heat.
If anyone isn’t able to make it through all the way, the drill restarts and goes until the entire roster makes it. It’s about accountability, Sampson says, which comes first at his program before the teaching of responsibility.
For Sampson, it’s the players who are ultimately responsible for the Cougars’ success. He’s not out there dribbling, passing or shooting the ball. It’s up to the players to take charge and lead, and that’s the way he prefers it.
Sitting in the press room of Lucas Oil Stadium after a 69-50 win over Tennessee in the Elite Eight, Sampson gives all the credit to his players.
“This is the 11th team I’ve had at Houston,” Sampson said. “We won 30 plus games five times, and this is the first time we won 34 games. And I’m glad these guys did it. The maturity of our older guys has been great for our younger guys.”
Houston maintains a homegrown environment, adding the occasional transfer to its group of players sourced from the high school ranks. This current group contains two notable transfers: LJ Cryer, formerly of Baylor and Milos Uzan, formerly of Oklahoma.
When the Cougars add a transfer, as happened with Uzan this past offseason, the coaching staff doesn’t have to bring them up to speed with the program’s culture, values and how things are run. Sampson relies on players who’ve been with him for years like Emanuel Sharp, Mylik Wilson and even a former transfer like Cryer to do so.
And Houston’s players don’t transfer to a new program, they graduate or move onto the NBA. There’s never any worry about the team taking a step back due to attrition because the roster always has several returnees ready to take charge.
“Our guys come back,” Sampson said. “Our guys don’t transfer.”
Some of those Cougars, the ones who graduated or declared for the draft after leading Houston through NCAA tournament play, come back to watch the new group do so. Sampson saw a few in the crowd like Jarace Walker, now with the Indiana Pacers, and Breaon Brady.
The player-led aspect matters most on the court. Sampson isn’t in control of the game, he’s on the sideline to guide the Cougars through, offering feedback whenever it’s needed.
You wouldn’t be able to tell the score of the game just by watching Sampson, who remains stoic on the sideline throughout. When the Cougars’ bench rises after a key play, be it a made dunk or a deep three-pointer, a stony-faced Sampson remains in the coaches box, arms crossed or with his hands on his hips.
When Cryer missed on a stepback jumper early in the second half, J’wan Roberts was able to secure the rebound and lay the ball up through contact for an and-1 that put Houston up 38-20 heading into a timeout. Every member of the Cougars’ bench leapt to their feet after the whistle blew.
But Sampson wasn’t celebrating. He was frustrated, calling over Uzan for some individual feedback.
A few plays prior, the Cougars had broken Tennessee’s press defense with Uzan getting a head of steam to the rim. A few Volunteers form said press were left behind him, but there were enough in front of him to make getting into the lane difficult.
Later Uzan’s hearing it from his head coach even with an 18-point lead. The game is still in his players’ control, but Sampson’s ensuring that they stay on track.
And he had good reason.
Tennessee kept threatening throughout the second half, cutting into the Houston lead slowly but surely. What was once 18 became 14, 12 and finally up to 10 points, any type of score away from becoming a single-digit game.
In the huddle of an ensuing timeout, Sampson urged his players to retake control of the game themselves. If they find an opportunity to do so, seize it.
“Be fearless,” Sampson said. “Don’t be afraid to take a big shot and don’t be afraid to miss it either.”
Sharp took his coach’s words to heart, hitting three shots from deep in the final six minutes of the game to push the Cougars’ lead out of reach and secure the victory. Sampson watched each one go in, clapping silently from his spot on the sideline or pumping his fist in celebration.
For the second time in the past five seasons, Houston’s players led the Cougars to the Final Four. As for Sampson, he’s proud to be along for another ride.
“Whatever happens in San Antonio is gonna happen,” Sampson said. “It’s not gonna influence how I’ve felt about this year one bit.”
