University of Houston basketball coach Kelvin Sampson will postpone his induction into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame until 2027 due to a scheduling conflict, according to a March 10 announcement from the organization.
Sampson, who is originally from Pembroke, North Carolina, had been scheduled for induction in 2026. However, he had previously committed to attend the Dick Vitale Gala on May 1 in Sarasota, Florida. The gala raises money for pediatric cancer through the V Foundation and falls on the same night as the Hall of Fame’s Induction Celebration.
The North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame said that Sampson will now be inducted during ceremonies on April 30, 2027 in Greensboro. The organization confirmed that “University of Houston basketball coach Kelvin Sampson has deferred his induction into the N.C. Sports Hall of Fame to 2027 due to an unavoidable scheduling conflict.”
The upcoming 2026 Induction Celebration will still take place as planned on Friday, May 1 at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro. Ten individuals are set to be inducted: PGA Tour golfer Chip Beck; Olympic speed-skating medalist Heather Bergsma; NC Central and Cincinnati Bengal football player Louis Breeden; college basketball coach Leonard Hamilton; UNC basketball player Tyler Hansbrough; Winston-Salem State and Pittsburgh Steeler running back Richard Huntley; tennis player John Isner; coaching legend Norvell Lee; UNC and MLS soccer player Eddie Pope; and high school wrestling coach Jerry Winterton.
Tickets for the event are available for purchase online.
