Kelvin Sampson Calls Out Houston's 'Poor' Athletic Department, 'We Don't Have the Money'

Houston is one of the best men's basketball teams in the country, but head coach Kelvin Sampson isn't sure how long that will last in the name, image and likeness era if the school's financial situation doesn't change.

"We have a very poor athletic department," he said Wednesday, per ESPN's Myron Medcalf. "We're poor. We were poor when I got here, and we're still poor.

"We probably have the lowest budget of anybody in Power 4. The way our recruiting is going, we have to stop at some point because we don't have the money to keep bringing in many good players. And that's not easy for us to do."

According to USA Today's 2024 database, Houston's athletic department was 56th in the country in total revenue at $78.1 million. By comparison, top-ranked Ohio State featured a total revenue of $251.6 million, while Big 12 rival Texas checked in at second at $239.3 million.

Medcalf noted Houston athletic director Eddie Nunez issued a "call to action" to the fan base in July in an effort to raise additional NIL revenue. 

"We are not just keeping pace with change; we are setting the standard," he wrote in the letter. "Whether it's pushing boundaries in performance, academic success, or community engagement, our standard is simple: excellence in everything we do. While revenue-sharing with student-athletes is now officially upon us, it is critical that we also maintain NIL opportunities for our student-athletes."

Houston Outlasts Texas Tech

01:26

Sampson's comments could be interpreted as another call to action and a money-raising effort, but it should be noted he is having no trouble parlaying Houston's financial situation into success on the court.

The Cougars are 20-2 overall and 8-1 in Big 12 play following Wednesday's 24-point victory over UCF. It is No. 8 in the country and looks capable of making a Final Four run come March Madness.

What's more, Sampson has enjoyed plenty of success on the recruiting trail.

According to 247Sports' composite rankings, Houston finished with the No. 3 class in the 2025 cycle and is 25th in 2026 with a 5-star commit and 4-star commit.

Perhaps those recruiting rankings will suffer in the future without more money for NIL opportunities, but Houston's men's basketball team remains one of the gold standards in the country at this point.