In the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, Ryan Elvin played a crucial role in helping the Houston Cougars men’s basketball team preserve their season. With four starters fouled out and facing a buzzer-beater three from Texas A&M that sent the game into overtime, it was Elvin, a walk-on, who made the pivotal free throw to secure UH’s spot in the Sweet 16 for the fifth consecutive year.
This moment felt like a full circle for the 6’1 former guard, who started his final home game at UH. During the pre-game senior ceremony, the chant “We want Elvin” resonated throughout Fertitta Center, highlighting his significance to the team.
Elvin stays humble about his background and skill set as the underdog and hardest worker. The recent UH graduate is well known as a Houston fan favorite. Head coach Kelvin Sampson used the word “program favorite” to describe him.
“I love Ryan Elvin. I wish every team I coached had Ryan Elvin on it,” Kelvin Sampson said.
After a memorable career as a player, Elvin announced he would be joining the staff as a graduate assistant.
“Coaching is something that I always wanted to get into and played into which college path I decided to take,” Elvin said.
“It’s a blessing playing four years here and being able to be a part of some great teams, meeting all the fans, being around great players, great teammates and coaches,” the new graduate assistant said. “It’s special to start a new journey in a familiar territory and a program that made me into who I am today.”
Elvin could have gone to a Division II or Division III school and spent more time on the court. Instead, he chose to be a walk-on at UH after initially meeting with assistant coach Kellen Sampson the summer before his senior year of high school.
Elvin reached out to both Kellen and Kelvin right before the end of his playing career about his future. Elvin always desired to take on a basketball coaching role.
“When the opportunity came, we talked about it, and they offered me the opportunity to be a GA here at the University of Houston. I’m extremely thankful they did that,” Elvin said.
The Round Rock, Texas, native received plenty of advice from Sampson on how to go about his career. Sampson wanted him to enjoy the time as a player and make the most of that stage of his life.
“They said try to play for as long as possible and enjoy that because your playing career is something you never get back. You can coach for the rest of your life, but you know you only have a small window to play,” Elvin said.
When it comes to coaching advice, it becomes a different perspective.
“They told me welcome to the dark side. coach Sampson really just told me to be grateful for the opportunity,” Elvin said.
Ryan Elvin is currently pursuing his graduate program, which he started last year, and he’s in a fortunate position because he’s in the second half of it, making the classes less demanding. The program is designed to be flexible, allowing him to take all his classes online. He has effectively utilized his time after work and during quieter weekends to complete most of his coursework.
Elvin aims to finish his master’s degree in management and leadership by May 2025. With his strong work ethic and determination, he’s well on his way to achieving this goal!
“You gotta sacrifice some time; stay up a little later in order to get everything done,” the graduate assistant said.
How would Ryan Elvin be as a coach? It’s a different role, but his job is to supplement the assistant coaches and help serve as an extra voice for Kelvin Sampson.
“I am probably not the one that’s going to do all the yelling and stuff at this stage of my career,” Elvin said. “I am a mediator sometimes. I just tell the guys this is what the coaches are trying to get through to you, and I try to get them to grasp the message.”
Overall, the move from player to coach has been smooth because of Elvin’s leadership capabilities. Being a a part of the program helped make Elvin’s transition easier, as it takes away some of the learning curve and he can just focus on coaching.
“One of the things that’s really helped Ryan is that he was so respected amongst his teammates,” assistant coach Kellen Sampson said.
“Ryan carried himself in such a way that nobody questioned his loyalties. I think Ryan has already transitioned into the coach role, and our players don’t question that he’s not their brother for life. At the same time, he’s Coach Ryan now.”
The men’s basketball program always saves a graduate assistant spot for a former player or manager. Leadership in Houston set up the opportunity for Elvin early on in his career.
“We just laid it out for him; if this is what he wanted to do, this is what the expectations would be. and he more than lived up to his side of it,” Kellen Sampson said.
UH men’s basketball made it clear they would always support Elvin in whatever he wanted to do moving forward. No matter what, he would have been allowed to come back as a graduate assistant.
“He earned that with his character, the type of teammate he was, the leader he was, he exemplified all of the characteristics of a really good coach when he was a player,” Kellen Sampson said.
Initially, Elvin was more reserved when he was younger, but now his voice is louder and he has found his footing. Sampson mentioned being authentic as a coach is how people will follow you.
“He’s really comfortable in those shoes, and he’s doing an awesome job of being himself every day, and our guys are responding to that in a powerful way,” Kellen Sampson said.
As the program looks to have another successful year and make strides in March, Elvin will continue to get a front-row seat and have a part in the magic the Cougars craft on the court.
“It’s a dream come true to get back to the program that gave me so much,” Elvin said. “I really look forward to it.”
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