Bucks Rumors: Houston's Kelvin Sampson, Wizards' Joseph Blair Interview for HC Job
The Milwaukee Bucks are in the midst of a wide-ranging head coaching search after firing Mike Budenholzer, and two more coaches have been added to the list of candidates.
The Bucks have interviewed University of Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson and Washington Wizards assistant Joseph Blair for their vacant head coaching position, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Bucks fired Budenholzer on May 4 after the team's disappointing first-round playoff loss to the eighth-seeded Miami Heat.
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Budenholzer served as head coach of the Bucks from 2018-23, going 271-120 in the regular season and leading Milwaukee to the playoffs in each of his five seasons, including an NBA title in 2021.
The franchise's next head coach will be tasked with leading a talented roster—highlighted by two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and two-time All-Star Jrue Holiday—back to the NBA Finals.
Sampson has been head coach of the Houston Cougars since 2014. In his nine seasons at the helm, he is 232-74 and has led the team to the NCAA tournament in six straight seasons, including a berth in the 2021 Final Four.
The 67-year-old's career also includes stops at Washington State, Oklahoma and Indiana. He is 657-301 in his college coaching career.
Sampson also spent six seasons as an assistant in the NBA from 2008-14. He served as an assistant for the Bucks from 2008-11 and the Houston Rockets from 2011-14.
Blair has been an assistant for the Wizards since 2021. He has also served as an assistant for the Minnesota Timberwolves (2020-21) and the Philadelphia 76ers (2019-20).
Additionally, the 48-year-old spent time as head coach of the G League's Rio Grande Valley Vipers from 2018-19, leading the team to a G League title in 2019 before making the jump to the NBA as an assistant.
Milwaukee's extensive head coaching search has also included assistants Charles Lee, Kenny Atkinson, Scott Brooks, Adrian Griffin, Chris Quinn, Kevin Young and former Charlotte Hornets head coach James Borrego.
