The former Hoosiers coach has thoughts on the program’s most recent hire.
There’s no love lost between Kelvin Sampson and Indiana. At least, that’s the impression one gleans based on how each discusses the other.
For Indiana, particularly the fans, Sampson and his overwhelming presence and success in college basketball to this date are a reminder of something of a dark period in the program’s history that turned Tom Crean’s program rebuild into a slog for the first few seasons.
Sampson was forced to resign mid-season in 2008 due to a series of NCAA rules violations. Indiana was put on three years of probation and Sampson himself receive a five-year show-cause order. He was hired as Houston’s head coach upon the expiration of the order in 2014.
He was asked what being back in Indiana is like for him personally during his pregame media availability ahead of Houston’s matchup against Purdue in the Sweet Sixteen. And he didn’t mince words.
“Doesn’t mean anything to me,” Sampson said. “I’m just looking forward to playing Purdue Friday night.”
Later, he was asked about new Indiana coach Darian DeVries, who he coached against when the latter was at West Virginia this past season. He had the following to say:
“West Virginia was — they were good,” Sampson said. “Coach DeVries is a really, really good coach. Big 12 is full of great coaches. But I was really impressed with him.”