Houston has three players currently on the roster who could become Kelvin Sampson’s next All-American.
The Houston Cougars’ season came to an abrupt end in the Sweet 16, as they suffered a 65-55 loss to Illinois inside the Toyota Center. While this season came to an end much quicker than fans would have liked, the Cougars are returning a lot of young talent next year who have unlimited upside.
There are three Cougars on the roster that could potentially be Kelvin Sampson’s next All-American in the 2026-2027 season.Houston's Chris Cenac Jr. cheers during a second-round game in the NCAA men's basketball tournament between Houston Cougars and Texas A&M Aggies at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday March 21, 2026. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Head coach Kelvin Sampson has a long history of turning his kids into All-Americans, with the most recent players being freshman guard Kingston Flemings, alongside former guards Jamal Shead and Marcus Sasser.Freshman forward Chris Cenac Jr. was once thought as a lock to be a one-and-done lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft at the beginning of the season. However, after an up-and-down season, he has slipped all the way to a projected late first-round pick, causing some speculation about whether it would be better to return and develop at Houston for one more season. For Cenac, he showed clear improvement in his rebounding, averaging 7.9 per game, and his willingness to take shots from any spot on the floor. However, he still lacked defensively and in his ability to score in the paint, which would be big priorities for him going into his sophomore season. With one more season as a Cougar, there is no reason why Cenac couldn’t add some size and average a double-double next year and become Sampson’s next All-American.Junior forward Joseph Tugler has been on the cusp of becoming an All-American because his elite defensive ability. The only reason he hasn't earned those honors is because the lack of offense, which could be a huge emphasis for him if he decided to return for his senior season.If he can stay healthy and really work on being a threat to score in the paint, he will no doubt be considered for an All-American selection next season.While freshman guard Isiah Harwell and freshman forward Chase McCarty could also make an argument to be in the final spot, sophomore guard Mercy Miller has proven the most and he is ready for a breakout season.Miller averaged five points per game on just an average of 12 minutes for Houston this season. He has shown in limited minutes that he is an instant threat to score when he is on the floor, and his defense has also improved. With one more offseason with a focus in breaking into a starting role and Miller’s scoring ability, he could also be considered as an All-American at the end of the season, bearing a breakout year.Ashton Grissom is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He is currently a senior at the University of Houston and majoring in Sports Media Production with a minor in Marketing and Spanish. He also works for two student organizations: The Cougar and CoogTV. You can find Grissom on his Instagram or Twitter .
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