Coach Kelvin Sampson has struck gold once again! The University of Houston’s basketball program has added two more of the nation’s top recruits to its roster! Earlier this year, the Cougars signed Isiah Harwell, the top high school shooting guard, and now, they have just signed the No. 1 center and the No. 3 ranked point guard in the country!
On November 26, Chris Cenac Jr., a five-star recruit and the top center in the nation, made his announcement during a live-streaming event hosted by Bleacher Report. He revealed his decision with great fanfare by selecting the University of Houston (UH) chain to wear around his neck. He decided to go to Houston over offers from other top schools such as Kentucky, Baylor, Arkansas, LSU, Auburn, and Tennessee.
“Houston, Coach Sampson, he’s a great coach, he’s a great guy,” Cenac Jr. said during the livestream. “I trust him, the coaching staff. They want to get me better. They know what I need to work on to get to the next level. I’m happy to be with them. I trust them. It’s a great team and I love it there.”
Cenac Jr. is a skilled big man who stands 6-foot-10 and weighs 230 pounds, with a 7-foot-3 wingspan. Coach Sampson not only values Cenac Jr.’s athleticism but also appreciates his impressive jump shot from beyond the arc. He strongly believes that Cenac Jr. will emerge as one of the team’s top 3-point shooters.
“Chris gives us great length and great size, but he is unique,” said coach Sampson. “He is not a big man’s big man… he is a basketball player who happens to be 6-foot-10. He will be one of the better 3-point shooters on the team. Instead of a roll guy, he gives us a pop guy. He gives us a guy who can spot up in transition, and he can also handle the ball, and he can pass. Chris has a chance to be a high-level player.”
Cenac Jr. is originally from New Orleans, but he will be playing his senior year at Link Academy in Branson, Missouri. Before his time at Link Academy, he spent two seasons competing under Coach Randy Livingston at Isidore Newman High School in New Orleans. In his junior year, he led Isidore Newman to its third straight state championship. In that game, he scored 19 points, eight assists, four rebounds and three blocked shots against University High School. His performance led him to be named the State Championship Most Outstanding Player. That year, he also made the All-State Second Team after averaging 13.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.9 steals, 1.7 assists and 1.3 blocks per game.
All before his senior year, the versatile big man took home the MVP at the NBPA Top 100 Camp, led Team USA National Team to the Gold Medal at the FIBA Under-17 World Cup in Istanbul, and was named the Most Valuable Player of Puma’s PRO16.
His high school coach couldn’t speak more highly of him, confidently asserting that he has what it takes to make a splash in the NBA and has a promising future.
“Chris is an elite frontcourt player who has a chance to be a long-time NBA player with the track he is on,” Link Academy Coach Chad Meyers said. “He can push the ball in transition, initiate the offense, make the three, and score in the paint. He is a physically strong athlete capable of guarding multiple positions and rebounding outside of his area.
Before signing Cenac Jr., the Houston Cougars signed Kingston Flemings, the top player in Texas. Flemings, a five-star point guard from Brennan High School in San Antonio, announced his decision to join the Cougars during a broadcast on the 247 Sports Channel on November 14. He chose Houston over Texas Tech, citing the success of former players from the program in the NBA as a significant factor in his decision.
“I like their winning culture and what they have done with their point guards,” Flemings said. “Jamal Shead is hooping in the league right now. For him to be a three-star coming out of high school and for the program to build him up to what he is now, I feel they can do the same with me.”
Flemmings is a 6-foot-3 point guard who weighs 175 pounds, and according to 247Sports, he’s known for his play-making abilities and his explosiveness. Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports said the floor general has a “quick-twitch burst,” and a shifty “stop-and-go” attack.
In addition to Flemmings’ play-making and explosiveness, Coach Sampson is highly impressed with his basketball IQ, recognizing how his strategic understanding of the game elevates the team’s performance and decision-making on the court.
“Kingston understands the game at a high level,” Sampson said. He has athleticism, quickness, competitive spirit and runs the game. He is everything you want in a point guard. Kingston has a chance to be special. He is a tough, smart kid. This is an unbelievable opportunity. He wanted to go somewhere that wins at a high level and where he can get better. He made a great decision, and he and our program both will benefit.”
Flemmings expressed his excitement about joining the UH basketball program, emphasizing how the coaching staff took the time to share their vision for incorporating him into their system.
“From day one they told me how they were going to use me,” Flemings said. “We talk about anything. If I play a game and I ask about certain reads, we talk about it. That is what we have done throughout their time recruiting me.”
In his junior year, Flemings was named the San Antonio Express-News Player of the Year for the second straight season after leading Brennan High School to a 31-5 overall record, the UIL Regional Semifinals, and a 16-0 mark in district play.
He averaged 17.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 2.0 steals per game and led the Bears in scoring in three of four postseason games, including an 18-point effort in the Semifinals against Stony Point High School.
This summer, he was a member of the Gold Medal-winning Team USA at the FIBA Under-17 3×3 World Cup in Debrecen, Hungary, and competed at USA Basketball Under-17 National Team training camps and the NBPA Top 100 Camp.
Next year, Flemings will join Houston’s dynamic backcourt alongside the top-ranked shooting guard, five-star recruit Isiah Harwell.
Coach Sampson is on a mission to transform the Houston basketball program, and the results are nothing short of impressive. Since taking the helm, he has secured 10 of the 12 highest-rated recruits in the program’s history, as highlighted by 247Sports. This season, fans can look forward to watching six of those top talents shine on the roster: Terrance Arceneaux, Joseph Tugler, Chase McCarty, Miller, Jacob McFarland, and Emanuel Sharp. And the excitement doesn’t stop there! Next year is poised to be just as thrilling, with three standout players—Cenac Jr, Flemmings, and Harwell—joining the ranks at their respective positions. The future of Houston basketball is looking bright!
