HC Kevin Sampson’s son and assistant Kellen celebrates his special day with Houston stars after training camp

Houston assistant coach Kellen Sampson had a special birthday celebration this week, and he got to enjoy it with some familiar faces. Kellen, who is also the son of the Cougars' head coach, Kelvin Sampson, celebrated his 40th birthday during the team’s training camp.

The celebration was caught on video and posted on the Houston basketball Instagram page on Wednesday. Players and coaches gathered around to sing him a birthday song, with smiles all around and a cake to go with it.

“Ending camp season with a celebration! Happy Birthday Coach @kellenmsampson!,” the caption read.

Kellen has been part of the Cougars' coaching setup for years, working closely with his father to help build the program into one of the top teams in college basketball. Before coaching, Kellen also had his own basketball career, playing at Oklahoma from 2004 to 2007. His father coached him for two years at Oklahoma.

After that, Kellen moved into coaching, working at different schools before joining Houston in 2014. Over the years, he has grown into one of the key figures on the coaching staff, known for his work in player development and recruiting.

The Houston Cougars had another strong season in 2024-25, finishing with a 35-5 overall record and reaching the NCAA Tournament final. They won the Big 12 Conference regular season title with a 19-1 record, making it four in a row, while they also bagged the Conference Tournament title for the first time since 2022.

With players leaving for the NBA and others coming through recruitment, Kellen’s role remains important as the team starts preparing for the next season. His bond with the players was clear in the video, with the squad making sure to pause camp activities to celebrate his big day.

Kelvin Sampson signs contract extension at Houston Cougars

Following an impressive 2024-25 season, the Cougars have rewarded coach Kevin Sampson with a contract extension until the 2028-29 season.

Sampson won several awards in this past season, including the Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year for the second time in a row, the CBS Sports and the Sporting News National Coach of the Year.

The new deal was announced in May, and Sampson will be hoping he can take the program to the national title next season.

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Edited by Victor R. Lopez M.