Houston’s Kelvin Sampson Makes Coaching Decision After National Championship Loss

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt Wadleigh | Last updated May 1, 2025 3:59 PM ET

The Houston Cougars men's basketball team lost the NCAA Tournament national title game in heartbreaking fashion to the Florida Gators.

Houston held a lead late in the game before a series of mistakes doomed them and kept them from cutting down the nets.

Still, the future is bright for Houston, especially with head coach Kelvin Sampson still roaming the sidelines and his son, Kellen, all set to take over the head coaching job whenever Kelvin Sampson decides to retire.

On Thursday, Sampson made a big hire for the program. He brought in Oklahoma State coach Mike Ekanem as an assistant, per Jeff Borzello of ESPN.

Ekanem is an experienced addition to the Houston coaching staff.

He spent last season at Oklahoma State as an assistant. Before that, he was with George Mason and Sam Houston, both of which came in an assistant coach role.

NEWS: Houston's Kelvin Sampson is hiring Oklahoma State's Mike Ekanem as an assistant coach, sources told ESPN. Longtime college assistant who also spent time on staffs at George Mason and Sam Houston in the last few years. Houston native.
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) May 1, 2025

Prior to that, Ekanem has held jobs with a number of college teams and the San Antonio Spurs. Those college programs include Arkansas, Texas A&M, Nevada and Memphis

Ekanem joined Oklahoma State prior to the 2024-25 season, and Cowboys head coach Steve Lutz called him a "rising star."

“Mike is a rising star in the coaching world. He understands the hard work and daily habits that build successful people and programs because he’s been around them his entire career," Lutz said last year.

Now, the Houston native comes to the Cougars program fresh off a trip to the national title game in a big boost to the staff.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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