Sampson appeals NCAA punishment

Kelvin Sampson wants to return to college basketball in the next five years.

That much is apparent from the Indianapolis Star’s report that the former IU coach has appealed the punishment the NCAA levied on him two months ago.

On Nov. 25, the NCAA’s Committee of Infractions announced it was placing a five-year “show cause” order on the coach, which would likely keep Sampson from returning to college basketball during that period.

But the Indianapolis Star is reporting Sampson is, for two reasons, appealing the rule. He believes the committee misinterpreted former IU assistant coach Rob Senderoff’s testimony and that the NCAA enforcement staff was biased and made a prejudgment of guilt before all interviews were complete.

In November, the NCAA placed IU on a three-year probationary period stemming from the major recruiting violations committed under Sampson and Senderoff. The NCAA found IU guilty of “failure to monitor” but decided no further penalties were necessary. The NCAA placed a three-year “show cause” on Senderoff, who is now an associate head coach at Kent State.

Sampson’s appeal comes two months after it appeared the former Hoosier coach had moved on. After being the point of ridicule for making impermissible phone calls and committing recruiting violations at Oklahoma and IU, Sampson is now an assistant coach in the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks. 

After the NCAA made its ruling in November, Sampson released a statement that said he was “deeply disappointed” in the NCAA’s findings, but he admitted the “accusations at hand are things that happened on my watch, and therefore I will take responsibility.”
The statement concluded, “it is time to move on.”