Houston Cougars’ head coach has a rather interesting clause in his current contract with his current side, meaning his son could be set to take over the reins as soon as he leaves.
The Cougars are coming off a devastating 65-63 loss to the Florida Gators in the NCAA Championship game. They lost due to a blunderous play in the final seconds of the match.
How Much Is Kelvin Sampson’s Contract Worth?
According to Marca, after signing a lucrative contract with Houston back in 2023, Kelvin Sampson currently earns around $4.7 million annually.
This makes him the 16th-highest-paid coach in NCAA Men’s basketball, right behind Nebraska’s Fred Hoiberg. Kansas’s Bill Self tops the chart, earning over $8 million annually.
Sampson also has a clause in his contract that entails him to $100,000 for every single NCAA Tournament Qualification through the 2026-27 season.
Houston’s Kelvin Sampson has a clause in his contract that names a “head coach in waiting” for the team:
His son Kellen, who would succeed his dad on $2M-per-year contract.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) April 7, 2025
According to Front Office Sports, when Sampson signed his lucrative deal in 2023, there was also a clause in the contract suggesting his son, Kellen, would take over the team following his father’s departure.
Kellen is currently a member of the Cougars coaching staff as an Assistant Coach to his father.
“As long as Coach is employed as coach for the Team and Kellen Sampson is employed as a coach of the team, UH acknowledges and agrees that Kellen Sampson shall have and maintain the functional title of ‘head coach in waiting” for the team,’” is the accurate terms of Sampson’s contract, with one particular caveat.
According to Front Office Sports, the terms of this contract do not activate until June 1, meaning Kelvin Sampson is currently unable to retire until that point, dampening any potential plans he has to depart the program following his side’s defeat to Florida.
With his heir apparent in place according to the newly released terms of his contract with Houston, the only question now is when Sampson will retire.
Speaking to the media on April 1, the Cougars head coach said that the decision is in nobody’s hands but his and his wife’s, claiming to have a “lifetime contract” with Houston.
KEEP READING: Houston’s Historic 2025 Run: A Season to Remember Despite Title Game Loss
“I’ve had a lifetime contract here for a long time. I’ll decide when it’s time to go. I’ll make that decision independent of anybody but my wife.” Sampson informed the media.
Even if the legendary Cougars Head Coach does choose to retire immediately to allow his son’s rise to the top, thanks to another clause in his contract, Sampson is still set to be in Houston for the foreseeable future.
“If he’s named head coach, he can hire his father as a full-time adviser for up to five years for $300,000 annually to keep the legendary coach around the program.” Front Office Sports claims meaning Kelvin Sampson is going nowhere for the foreseeable future.
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