Houston Basketball Coach on the Rise
Contents
- Houston’s Basketball Program on the Rise
- New head coach Making a Difference
- Improved Recruiting Efforts Paying Off
- Increased fan support for the program
- A bright future for Houston basketball
- New facilities and resources for the program
- The impact of social media on the program
- The importance of player development
- The role of assistant coaches in the program
- The challenges of building a successful program
As Houston’s basketball coach Mike D’Antoni has helped turn the team around and make them a force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference In this blog, we’ll take a look at his coaching career and how he’s made the Houston Rockets into a championship-caliber team.
Houston’s Basketball Program on the Rise
The University of Houston’s Basketball Program is on the rise under Head Coach Kelvin Sampson In his three years at the helm, Sampson has led the Cougars to a pair of NCAA tournament appearances and a share of the American Athletic Conference regular-season title.
Sampson has quickly turned Houston into a contender in the AAC, and the Cougars are poised to make more noise in the conference in the coming years. With a talented young core in place, Houston is primed to make a run at the AAC title once again in 2019-20.
New head coach Making a Difference
Houston’s new head basketball coach is already making a difference Kelvin Sampson was hired in April and has helped Houston to a 10-4 record so far this season.
Sampson is known for his disciplined approach to coaching. He has instilled a sense of discipline in his players that has helped them to be successful on the court.
Sampson has also been able to get the most out of his players. He has motivated them to play hard and to never give up.
The Houston community is behind Sampson and the team. They are excited about the direction the team is going in and are hopeful that they will continue to improve under Sampson’s leadership.
Improved Recruiting Efforts Paying Off
It’s no secret that Houston coach Kelvin Sampson has been on the hot seat in recent years But after a string of successful recruiting seasons, the Cougars are poised to make noise in the NCAA Tournament
In the past few years, Houston has pulled in highly touted recruits such as Maurice Harkless, Danuel House and Najeal Young. That haul has translated to on-court success, as the Cougars have won 20 or more games in each of the last three seasons.
This season, Houston is off to a 15-4 start and is currently ranked No. 21 in the AP poll. With a core of talented young players the future is bright for Sampson and the Cougars.
Increased fan support for the program
The Houston Basketball Program has seen increased fan support in recent years due in large part to the success of the team. Under Head Coach Kelvin Sampson, the Cougars have won 20 or more games in each of the last four seasons, including a school-record 28 wins in 2018-19.
With the team poised for another successful season fans are flocking to Houston games in increasing numbers. Attendance at home games has nearly doubled since Sampson took over as Head coach in 2014-15, and season ticket sales have increased by nearly 60 percent over that same span.
A bright future for Houston basketball
Since taking over as head coach of the Houston basketball team Kelvin Sampson has led the team to new heights.
In his first season at the helm, the team finished with a record of 21-12, including a win over then-No. 3 Louisville. The 21 wins were the most by a Houston team since 2014-15, when the Cougars won 22 games.
In his second season, Sampson led Houston to a 27-8 record and its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2010. The Cougars upset No. 2 seed Ohio State in the Round of 32 before falling to eventual National Champion Virginia in the Sweet 16.
With Sampson at the helm, it appears that Houston Basketball has a bright future ahead of it.
New facilities and resources for the program
Capel has put together a solid recruiting class for next season, including five-star guard Caleb Mills
head coach Kelvin Sampson has revitalized the University of Houston’s basketball program in his three years at the helm. He’s also utilized social media in a way that no other college basketball coach has to build relationships with fans, build the brand of the program and most importantly, land recruits.
Sampson has been quoted as saying that social media is “the greatest recruiting tool ever invented.” He’s not wrong. Three of the top-10 recruits in the country have committed to play for Houston next season, including No. 1 overall recruit James Wiseman That wouldn’t have happened without Sampson’s creative use of social media
Sampson started a Twitter account (@UHCougarMBK) when he was hired in 2016 and has used it to share photos and videos of himself and the team, as well as announce news about the program. He also uses it to interact with fans and potential recruits.
In April, Sampson made headlines when he responded to a tweet from a fan who said she was having a hard time finding tickets to Houston’s game against Memphis. Sampson not only replied to her tweet, but he also sent her two tickets to the game.
Sampson’s use of social media has helped him connect with Houston fans in a way that no other coach has done before and it’s also helped him land some of the top recruits in the country.
The importance of player development
Basketball is a sport that is always evolving and changing. Houston Rockets Assistant Coach John Lucas III knows this better than anyone.
Lucas, who is in his second year with the Rockets, has been a big part of the team’s player development program. He has helped players like James Harden and Clint Capela improve their game, and he has also been a mentor for younger players like Chinanu Onuaku.
“I think the biggest thing for me is just seeing the growth in each individual player,” Lucas said. “I’m just trying to be a part of that process and help them get better every day.”
Lucas has also been impressed with the way head coach Mike D’Antoni has handled the team. D’Antoni has been able to get the most out of his players, and Lucas believes that the team is headed in the right direction.
“Coach D’Antoni is doing a great job of putting us in position to be successful,” Lucas said. “He’s always preaching about player development and that’s something I really believe in.”
As the Rockets continue to strive for success, they will need players like Lucas to continue to help develop their young talent.
The role of assistant coaches in the program
Assistant coaches play an important role in the success of a Basketball Program They are responsible for player development scouting opponents, game strategy and many other important tasks. Houston has had success with assistant coaches in recent years and it is hoped that this trend will continue.
The challenges of building a successful program
It takes more than just talent to build a successful Basketball Program It takes dedication, hard work and a bit of luck. Houston coach Kelvin Sampson knows this better than anyone.
Sampson took over the Houston program in 2014, inheriting a team that had gone 13-19 the previous season. Since then, he has led the Cougars to four consecutive 20-win seasons, including a school-record 30-win campaign in 2017-18. He was named the American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in both 2016-17 and 2017-18.
But Sampson’s success hasn’t come without challenges. The biggest one has been dealing with low attendance at home games The University of Houston is located in a football-crazy city, and the Cougars have to share the attention of sports fans with the NFL’s Houston Texans and Major League Baseball’s Houston Astros
In order to get people to come to Cougar games, Sampson has had to get creative. He’s offered free tickets to High School students and military veterans. He’s even given away cars to fans who attend games.
Despite the challenges, Kelvin Sampson has built the Houston Cougars into one of the top basketball programs in the country. And he’s not done yet – he’s got his sights set on winning an NCAA championship