What is Kelvin Sampson's ethnicity? Exploring Houston head coach's background and family tree

Mentioning Kelvin Sampson’s name in any basketball discourse would elicit different reactions from people, depending on their affinities.

To fans of the Oklahoma Sooners, Sampson - who is from Lumbee ethnicity - is royalty, a major figure in the team’s history of dominance in the Big 12. Meanwhile, to fans of the Indiana Hoosiers, he's that unfortunate hire they had to part ways with in the most controversial manner.

Sampson is much more, to fans of teams he has coached, the players he has coached, other coaches he has worked with, and most importantly, his family. Let's learn more about his family background.

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More about Kelvin Sampson

The Lumbee people are a race of Native Americans primarily based in North Carolina with significant populations in Robeson, Hoke, Cumberland and Scotland counties. Sampson was born in Robeson County, North Carolina, on Oct. 5, 1955.

His father, John W. Ned Sampson, was a prominent community figure and a high school basketball coach. Sampson played for his father as a high school basketball star at Pembroke High School, Pembroke, North Carolina.

The elder Sampson also left a heritage of ethnic self-preservation, which is still being celebrated today by the Lumbee people. He played an important role as one of the 500 Lumbee Native Americans who drove the Ku Klux Klan out of Maxton, North Carolina. The eventful confrontation is remembered annually as the Battle of Hayes Pond.

Following his high school education, Sampson enrolled at Pembroke State University, now known as UNC Pembroke. He was a two-sport athlete at Pembroke State, playing basketball and baseball.

He played as a point guard on the basketball team and was made the team captain as a senior. He was a distinguished student-athlete, earning four letters in basketball and three in baseball.

He was also recognized on the Dean’s List all through his stay at Pembroke State. Moreover, he was awarded the Gregory Lowe Memorial Award as the most outstanding student majoring in physical education.

Sampson began his coaching career at Michigan State University, where he earned his Master’s degree in coaching and administration in 1979. He's married to Karen Lowry and have two kids, a daughter, Lauren, and a son, Kellen.