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Sat, 03.30.2002

Non-white Coaches Make it to NCAA Basketball Final Four

Kelvin Sampson

*On this date in 2002, two Black coaches in the NCAA’s Basketball Final Four competed against one another for the first time.  Indiana University coach Mike Davis and Oklahoma University coach Kelvin Sampson were the first Final Four match up featuring two minority coaches.

Davis, an African American and Sampson, a Black Native American from the Lumbee (African) Tribe.

"It is significant to me," Sampson said. "Hopefully, minority coaches will look at me and Mike Davis and say, ‘I can do that.’ (Former Georgetown coach) John Thompson did that for me, along with other coaches like Nolan Richardson and Clem Haskins."

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