Kelvin Sampson Galen Robinson, Jr. Corey Davis

NCAA Men's Regional Semifinals and Finals: Kansas City Thursday, March 28, 2019 Kansas City, Missouri Kelvin Sampson how I evaluated it. We just became a really good team as the season progressed, and we learned how to play Galen Robinson, Jr. with each other. And that's a tribute to Galen and Corey, Breaon, our seniors, and their ability to lead every day in practice and teach these young guys how Corey Davis, Jr. to practice. Houston Cougars THE MODERATOR: First question on the aisle. THE MODERATOR: We're going to ask Kelvin to start off with statement about his team and then we'll go to Q. Coach, I'm wondering how -- the big question questions. with Kentucky's PJ Washington's availability. I'm wondering what you expect there and how that Coach, please. factors in your planning? KELVIN SAMPSON: Yeah, we've never seen Kentucky KELVIN SAMPSON: Really fun team to coach. There's play with him or without him. We've never seen him sometimes you have an inkling. Oftentimes that inkling play except on film. So, all the film we're watching is is wrong, but you have an inkling that you might have a him with them. I haven't watched them without him. pretty good team. We lost so much from last year's That doesn't factor in with us at all. team that -- and that spurred us into June and July of when we're allowed to work with those kids four hours Q. Talk to me a little bit about Corey and when you a week. first got him from San Jac, did you know he was this complete a player? We really focused on three, four things that we value. KELVIN SAMPSON: The old "did you know" question. So when the season started, I knew we were further Like that question. "Did you know?" You get older, you ahead defensively than we were offensively because hear like that, you just want to go, "You know what, we we didn't get Jarreau. Jarreau didn't play for us until just pulled his name out of a hat." I'm just joking, mid June -- excuse me, mid December, and Fabian hoops. I'm just being bad. White didn't play until the first week in December. Here's what I knew: I knew he was a competitor. I We played BYU at BYU in late November. And at one knew he was a tough, tough nut. He was a shot maker. point we were up 18-16 on the road, and that was -- I He had to develop -- we have -- we have to develop could tell, that team has got a chance to be pretty kids. That is the -- I think the most important part of good. BYU was really good offensively. And earlier in our program is our player development, and our the season, good teams don't know they're good and assistant coaches are really, really good at that. Corey bad teams don't know they're bad. Everybody is the had to be developed. same. That was a road game at Provo with a basically a new team. I didn't know -- didn't know how they Ball handling versus pressure, he had to develop a would react. dribble game. He's a good catch-and-shoot guy but doesn't have much of a dribble game. I wasn't nervous or worried about that game. I was anxious. I wanted to see how we would play on the You start with the first thing we talked about, how tough road. That's when you know whether you have a good he is and what a great kid he is. Unbelievable team or not. It's not at home. It's how you play on the competitor every day. High character kids don't have road. highs and lows. Pretty solid everyday. That's what he is. Then the thing I was most proud of with this team was not -- being 16 - 2 in your conference, especially a Q. What is your response to your name being conference as hard as ours is outstanding. But being 8 linked to the Arkansas job, and has UH offered you - 1 on the road, that was how I valued this team and a contract extension? Rev #1 by #274 at 2019-03-28 18:45:00 GMT page 1 of 5 KELVIN SAMPSON: I'm not going to talk about my contract situation. My response to -- what school was Mick Cronin is not a good coach now. He is a great it? I was just joking (laughter). I didn't know if you said coach. He is a great coach. Hardest team we play Arizona or Arkansas or Alaska or -- yeah. Been a lot of every year is always Cincinnati. He loses to Iowa. those schools over the years. I don't really have a Game he could have easily won and he had -- he had response to it. I don't know what I'm supposed to -- who was the next game? Who did Iowa lose to? respond to, you know. There's nothing to respond to. Tennessee. Could have won that game. Q. I've read some comments from Tubby Smith just You got to be good that day. There's so much -- there's talking about what a good coaching job you've so much -- winning and losing is so opinionated. It done. I know you guys go way back. What has depends on which side of the fence you're on. I hate to that relationship meant to you in your career and see coaches evaluated on whether they win their first life? game and not celebrated for making it. It's no big deal KELVIN SAMPSON: I first got to know Tubby when I anymore to make the tournament if you made it a lot. was 21, 22 years old. I was doing my student teaching You almost better off going three, four years without in the fall of my senior year in college, and the school making it than when you make it. Wow, that's a great that I was doing my student teaching at was Upchurch job ever rebuilding. Junior High School. But it is. You take it for granted if you're a fan. Tubby was the head basketball coach at Rafert High Sometimes administrators do. It's hard to make this School. It's in Hoke County, North Carolina. I was tournament. You look at all the great programs that born and raised in a real small town called Pembroke. haven't made it the last two years, four years, five Rafert is about 20 miles. But I knew who Tubby was. I years, you wonder why, because it's not easy. It's a didn't know him, though. grind. Every conference is hard. I don't know how you evaluate a conference. I've coached in some great Anytime significant -- something of significance conferences. I couldn't tell you the difference in what happens in my life, there's two people to either call or versus the other. They're all the same. At the top, text me right away. One is Tubby and the other is Rick they're the same, the middle and the bottom. They all Barnes. Rick Barnes -- Rick was Lenoir Rhyne College have those three things going for them. when I was at UNC Pembroke. I think Rick was a sophomore when I was a freshman. Tubby was out of Central Florida was one of the best teams we played college when I started college, but he's one of my best this year and we played LSU, Oregon. Central Florida friends. is really good. From a perception standpoint, unfortunately, people didn't realize how good they My father used to say if you have one friend, one friend were, not when they played us but when they played in your life, you're a rich man. Well, I've got a bunch, Duke. Them people gave them credit for that. That's none that's closer to me than Tubby or Rick. just the way people perceive things. Q. What's this ride been like for you? The first time So, I have a lot of respect for the schools that make this you've been back to a Sweet 16 since '03 with tournament but also have a lot of respect for the Oklahoma. What's it like being up here? schools that came a little short. KELVIN SAMPSON: It's hard to get to the Sweet 16 when you're in the NBA (laughter). You know, you can Q. John Calipari has really been singing your get to the second round, the playoffs. I love the NBA. I praises this week. Probably trying to but you up. really did. I was talking with Ian Eagle and Jim KELVIN SAMPSON: Are you saying he wasn't sincere? Spanarkel. They do the Brooklyn Nets games. I You had me going and brought me down (laughter). always saw them when we go to the Barclays or East Holy smokes. Rutherford, wherever we were. Q. He talks about you like -- You know, you go to this tournament so much, but you KELVIN SAMPSON: He's singing your praises, but he learn never to take it for granted and I don't. This is didn't really mean it laughter. hard to make the tournament. I think being at this stage now looking back -- and I look at guys like Mick Q.

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