\n<\/p>\n
After the UCLA men\u2019s basketball coach became aware of comments Kelvin Sampson made earlier this month, in which the Houston men\u2019s basketball coach lamented his program\u2019s lack of funding in comparison to other power conference schools, Cronin sent Sampson $1 on the online payment platform Venmo to express his sympathy and deliver a playful jab.<\/p>\n
\u201cMick Cronin had the best line,\u201d Sampson told college basketball reporter Jeff Goodman in an interview released Sunday. \u201cHe Venmos me a dollar \u2026 (and) he said, \u2018Yo, man, I heard your shtick \u2014 (at) postgame press conferences, you gotta learn not to say certain things. But I did get that you don\u2019t have very much, so here\u2019s a dollar.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
\nKelvin Sampson reveals that after his comments about Houston’s athletic department last week, Mick Cronin Venmo’d him $1:<\/p>\n
“He said yo man, I heard your presser. I’d like to help, so here’s one dollar” \ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02<\/p>\n
\ud83c\udfa5: https:\/\/t.co\/Zdh8RLR44i<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/5JxNIEWG5w<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) February 16, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Cronin\u2019s news conference advice might have been delivered with a hint of sarcasm, given the Bruins coach\u2019s reputation for bluntly calling out his players at postgame media sessions. After UCLA\u2019s 30-point loss at Michigan<\/a> Saturday, Cronin called his team\u2019s second-half effort \u201cgod-awful.\u201d After a home loss to the Wolverines last season<\/a>, Cronin called his players \u201csoft\u201d and \u201cdelusional.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sampson\u2019s postgame gripe came after the Cougars\u2019 79-55 win over UCF on Feb. 4.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a very poor athletic department. We\u2019re poor,\u201d Sampson said. \u201cWe were poor when I got here, and we\u2019re still poor.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 23-2 Cougars are ranked second in the nation and have been one of college basketball\u2019s standout programs since Sampson was named head coach in 2014. Under Sampson, Houston has made seven straight NCAA Tournament appearances, with two trips to the Final Four.<\/p>\n
Houston\u2019s athletic department, however, has the lowest budget among all power conference programs<\/a>. The university spent $99 million on sports in fiscal year 2025, while schools such as Texas, Ohio State, Georgia and Michigan each have annual athletics budgets of greater than $200 million. Despite Houston\u2019s basketball success, Sampson said he worried about his program\u2019s ability to remain competitive in the era of name, image and likeness payments and revenue sharing.<\/p>\n
\u201cTeams that have the best recruiting classes usually have the most money,\u201d Sampson said after the UCF game. \u201cThat\u2019s the way it is today. It\u2019s not about who we want to sign. It\u2019s, \u2018Who can we afford to sign?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite Sampson\u2019s concerns, Houston managed to sign the No. 3 recruiting class in the country heading into this season, according to the 247Sports Composite, including projected NBA first-round draft picks<\/a> Kingston Flemings and Chris Cenac Jr. The Cougars also managed to hold onto upperclassmen Milos Uzan and Emanuel Sharp, who both opted for another season in Houston over turning pro or entering the transfer portal.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe participate in the NIL just like everybody else,\u201d Sampson said. \u201cWe know what our kids\u2019 market value is. Trust me, they\u2019re not starving here. They\u2019re getting exactly what the market is for them.\u201d<\/p>\n
So far this season, that has been enough to keep the Cougars among the favorites to win a national championship in 2026 \u2014 and maybe Cronin\u2019s $1 donation will help them remain in the title mix for years to come.\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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