University of Houston Athletics
Photo by: Ben Solomon
Sampson, Shead, Cryer Lead Men’s Hoops on NABC All-District Team
3/18/2024 10:48:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Sampson named District Coach of the Year; Shead earns place on First Team, Cryer to Second Team
HOUSTON – University of Houston senior guards Jamal Shead and LJ Cryer and Head Coach Kelvin Sampson continued to collect postseason awards with honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches District 8 coming in Tuesday.
Sampson was named the District 8 Coach of the Year for the eighth District accolade of his career. Shead was named to the District First Team while Cryer earned a place on the Second Team.
In 2023-24, Houston leads the nation in in scoring defense (57.0 ppg), turnover margin (7.1), field goal percentage defense (37.9, 1st) and ranks among the country's Top 10 in turnovers per game (8.9, 7th), scoring margin (+16.1, 3rd) and steals per game (10.0, 7th).
ABOUT KELVIN SAMPSON
Now in his 35th season overall and his 10th season at Houston, Sampson has placed the Cougars among the nation's elite during his tenure. His Cougars will compete as the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament South Region later this week in Memphis, Tenn., the second straight season Houston earned a region's top seed.
In 2023-24, Sampson has led the Cougars to a 30-4 overall record and the Big 12 regular-season championship by two games. Houston has been ranked among the nation's Top Seven in both national polls throughout the season.
Under Sampson's leadership, Houston has been ranked for a school-record 84 consecutive weeks, including each of the last 39 weeks in the Top 10, another program best.
These are only the latest awards for Sampson this season. He was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year by the league and the Associated Press and received the Henry Iba Award, presented to the National Coach of the Year, by the United States Basketball Writers Association on Monday.
Sampson also collected National Coach of the Year recognition from Field of 68 earlier this month.
During his career, Sampson has been named a Conference Year of the Year nine times from five different leagues. That total includes one Big 12 (2023-24), four American Athletic (2022-23, 2021-22, 2018-19 and 2017-18), one Big Eight (1994-95), one Pac-10 (1990-91) and two Frontier League (1984-85, 1982-83).
ABOUT JAMAL SHEAD
Shead has been a leader for the Cougars throughout his career and never more so than during the 2023-24 season.
These are only the latest honors for Shead. He recently was named to the Field of 68 All-America and The Sporting News First Teams and received Big 12 Player of the Year and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors, becoming the first player in league history to collect both awards in the same season.
The Manor, Texas, native stands second among the Cougars with 13.1 points per game. Shead also leads Houston and ranks among the Big 12 Top-Five leaders in assists per game (6.2, 3rd), steals per game (2.3, 3rd) and assist-turnover ratio (3.15, 2nd).
Shead is the only student-athlete to rank among the nation's Top-20 leaders in all three categories.
He was named the Big 12 Player of the Week twice during the regular season and was recognized as the Naismith Trophy Player of the Week for Feb. 26 and the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for Jan. 23.
Shead has scored double-digit points in 25 games, including 11 of the last 12 . He also dished out 10+ assists in four games this season with a career-high 29-point, 10-assist performance at #21/19 BYU on Jan. 23. He is the only Cougar to record points-rebounds AND points-assists double-doubles in 2023-24.
He was named the Player of the Year by the league office and the Associated Press and also was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first player in Big 12 history to collect both honors in the same season.
It also was the second straight season in his second different league in which Shead was named Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He joined forward and Houston great Bo Outlaw as the only Cougars to win consecutive honors.
Shead owns a 118-17 record in more than three seasons during his Houston career and needs only four more victories in 2023-24 to become the winningest player in school history.
ABOUT LJ CRYER
Cryer is in his first season at Houston in 2023-24 after transferring from Baylor during the summer.
The Katy, Texas, native has started all 34 games to date this season – making him one of only two Cougars to accomplish that feat – and leads Houston and the Big 12 with 3.1 3-point field goals per game.
Cryer also stands among the league's Top 10 in scoring (15.3 ppg, 8th), field goal percentage (40.3, 8th) and 3-point field goal percentage (39.0, 4th).
A product of Morton Ranch High School, Cryer tops the Cougars with 12 20-point games, including a season-high 25 points against in Houston's come-from-behind win at Big 12 rival UCF on March 6, and has drained multiple 3-pointers in 26 games, including nine of the last 10 contests.
Averaging 16.7 points, 3.7 3-pointers and 2.7 rebounds per game in wins over Towson, Utah and Dayton, Cryer was named the Most Valuable Player at the Shriners Children's Charleston Classic in November 2023.
2023-24 NABC DISTRICT 8 AWARDS
COACH OF THE YEAR
Kelvin Sampson, Houston
ALL-DISTRICT 8 FIRST TEAM
ALL-DISTRICT 8 SECOND TEAM
UP NEXT
• Sampson, Cryer, Shead and the Cougars tip off in the NCAA Tournament South Region First Round when they meet (16) Longwood at 8:20 p.m., Friday, inside FedExForum, Tenn.
• That game will air on TNT.
• All Houston Men's Basketball games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app.
SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Men's Basketball by supporting Linking Coogs – UH's NIL collective – and by joining the 50-50 Club, which provides financial support directly to Houston Men's Basketball for needs beyond its operating budget.
Fans who join the 50-50 Club will receive embroidered Jordan Brand team apparel, invitations to exclusive events, regular updates about the program and much more.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMBK on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarMBK or by visiting the team's Instagram page at UHCougarMBK.
Sampson was named the District 8 Coach of the Year for the eighth District accolade of his career. Shead was named to the District First Team while Cryer earned a place on the Second Team.
In 2023-24, Houston leads the nation in in scoring defense (57.0 ppg), turnover margin (7.1), field goal percentage defense (37.9, 1st) and ranks among the country's Top 10 in turnovers per game (8.9, 7th), scoring margin (+16.1, 3rd) and steals per game (10.0, 7th).
ABOUT KELVIN SAMPSONNow in his 35th season overall and his 10th season at Houston, Sampson has placed the Cougars among the nation's elite during his tenure. His Cougars will compete as the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament South Region later this week in Memphis, Tenn., the second straight season Houston earned a region's top seed.
In 2023-24, Sampson has led the Cougars to a 30-4 overall record and the Big 12 regular-season championship by two games. Houston has been ranked among the nation's Top Seven in both national polls throughout the season.
Under Sampson's leadership, Houston has been ranked for a school-record 84 consecutive weeks, including each of the last 39 weeks in the Top 10, another program best.
These are only the latest awards for Sampson this season. He was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year by the league and the Associated Press and received the Henry Iba Award, presented to the National Coach of the Year, by the United States Basketball Writers Association on Monday.
Sampson also collected National Coach of the Year recognition from Field of 68 earlier this month.
During his career, Sampson has been named a Conference Year of the Year nine times from five different leagues. That total includes one Big 12 (2023-24), four American Athletic (2022-23, 2021-22, 2018-19 and 2017-18), one Big Eight (1994-95), one Pac-10 (1990-91) and two Frontier League (1984-85, 1982-83).
ABOUT JAMAL SHEADShead has been a leader for the Cougars throughout his career and never more so than during the 2023-24 season.
These are only the latest honors for Shead. He recently was named to the Field of 68 All-America and The Sporting News First Teams and received Big 12 Player of the Year and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors, becoming the first player in league history to collect both awards in the same season.
The Manor, Texas, native stands second among the Cougars with 13.1 points per game. Shead also leads Houston and ranks among the Big 12 Top-Five leaders in assists per game (6.2, 3rd), steals per game (2.3, 3rd) and assist-turnover ratio (3.15, 2nd).
Shead is the only student-athlete to rank among the nation's Top-20 leaders in all three categories.
He was named the Big 12 Player of the Week twice during the regular season and was recognized as the Naismith Trophy Player of the Week for Feb. 26 and the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for Jan. 23.
Shead has scored double-digit points in 25 games, including 11 of the last 12 . He also dished out 10+ assists in four games this season with a career-high 29-point, 10-assist performance at #21/19 BYU on Jan. 23. He is the only Cougar to record points-rebounds AND points-assists double-doubles in 2023-24.
He was named the Player of the Year by the league office and the Associated Press and also was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first player in Big 12 history to collect both honors in the same season.
It also was the second straight season in his second different league in which Shead was named Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He joined forward and Houston great Bo Outlaw as the only Cougars to win consecutive honors.
Shead owns a 118-17 record in more than three seasons during his Houston career and needs only four more victories in 2023-24 to become the winningest player in school history.
ABOUT LJ CRYERCryer is in his first season at Houston in 2023-24 after transferring from Baylor during the summer.
The Katy, Texas, native has started all 34 games to date this season – making him one of only two Cougars to accomplish that feat – and leads Houston and the Big 12 with 3.1 3-point field goals per game.
Cryer also stands among the league's Top 10 in scoring (15.3 ppg, 8th), field goal percentage (40.3, 8th) and 3-point field goal percentage (39.0, 4th).
A product of Morton Ranch High School, Cryer tops the Cougars with 12 20-point games, including a season-high 25 points against in Houston's come-from-behind win at Big 12 rival UCF on March 6, and has drained multiple 3-pointers in 26 games, including nine of the last 10 contests.
Averaging 16.7 points, 3.7 3-pointers and 2.7 rebounds per game in wins over Towson, Utah and Dayton, Cryer was named the Most Valuable Player at the Shriners Children's Charleston Classic in November 2023.
2023-24 NABC DISTRICT 8 AWARDS
COACH OF THE YEAR
Kelvin Sampson, Houston
ALL-DISTRICT 8 FIRST TEAM
| Player | Position | Class | School |
| Jamal Shead | Houston | Senior | Houston |
| Max Abmas | Guard | Graduate | Texas |
| Hunter Dickinson | Center | Senior | Kansas |
| Tamin Lipsey | Guard | Sophomore | Iowa State |
| Kevin McCullar Jr. | Guard | Senior | Kansas |
ALL-DISTRICT 8 SECOND TEAM
| Player | Position | Class | School |
| L.J. Cryer | Guard | Senior | Houston |
| RayJ Dennis | Guard | Senior | Baylor |
| Dylan Disu | Forward | Graduate | Texas |
| Pop Isaacs | Guard | Sophomore | Texas Tech |
| Emanuel Miller | Forward | Senior | TCU |
UP NEXT
• Sampson, Cryer, Shead and the Cougars tip off in the NCAA Tournament South Region First Round when they meet (16) Longwood at 8:20 p.m., Friday, inside FedExForum, Tenn.
• That game will air on TNT.
• All Houston Men's Basketball games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app.
SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Men's Basketball by supporting Linking Coogs – UH's NIL collective – and by joining the 50-50 Club, which provides financial support directly to Houston Men's Basketball for needs beyond its operating budget.
Fans who join the 50-50 Club will receive embroidered Jordan Brand team apparel, invitations to exclusive events, regular updates about the program and much more.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMBK on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarMBK or by visiting the team's Instagram page at UHCougarMBK.
– UHCougars.com –
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