Brandon Sampson
Brandon Sampson (born May 1, 1997) is an American basketball player for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for Louisiana State University (LSU).
No. 44 – Rio Grande Valley Vipers | |
---|---|
Position | Shooting guard |
League | NBA G League |
Personal information | |
Born | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | May 1, 1997
Nationality | American |
Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
Listed weight | 184 lb (83 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Madison Prep (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) |
College | LSU (2015–2018) |
NBA draft | 2018 / Undrafted |
Playing career | 2018–present |
Career history | |
2018 | Rio Grande Valley Vipers |
2018–2019 | Chicago Bulls |
2018–2019 | →Windy City Bulls |
2019–present | Rio Grande Valley Vipers |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com |
High school career
Sampson was named Louisiana Mr. Basketball as a senior for Madison Preparatory Academy in 2015 after averaging 15.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game in leading the team to a state championship.[1] He signed with coach Steve Lavin at St. John's, but reopened his commitment when Lavin was fired in 2015. He ultimately signed with hometown LSU.[2]
College career
Sampson was part of a heralded LSU recruiting class for coach Johnny Jones, which also included future NBA players Ben Simmons and Antonio Blakeney. After a disappointing freshman season, which saw the Tigers underperform as a team and Sampson's minutes fluctuate, he found more consistency as a sophomore in the 2016–17 season.[3] He averaged 11.6 points and 3.1 rebounds in 27.5 minutes per game, starting the majority of the season.
As a junior the following year, Sampson suffered a severe ankle sprain, which caused him to miss a month of the season.[4] Upon his return, Sampson had difficulty with consistency due to the lingering effects of the injury.[5] On the season, he averaged 7.7 points in 18.9 minutes per game.
Professional career
Rio Grande Valley Vipers (2018)
Following his junior season, Sampson declared for the 2018 NBA draft, but was not selected. After playing for the Atlanta Hawks in the 2018 NBA Summer League.[6] He then signed an exhibit 10 contract with the Houston Rockets, who ultimately placed him on their NBA G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.[7] In 18 games with the Vipers, Sampson averaged 17.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.
Chicago Bulls (2018–2019)
On December 27, 2018, Sampson signed a two-way contract with the Chicago Bulls. Under the terms of the agreement, he would split time with the Bulls' G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls.[8] He was assigned and made his Windy City debut the next night, scoring 17 points and passing for 5 assists in a win.[9] Sampson later made his NBA debut on January 30, 2019 with 5 points and 2 rebounds recorded in a 105–89 win over the Miami Heat.
Second Stint with Rio Grande Valley Vipers (2019–present)
On October 27, 2019, Sampson was included in the training camp roster of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.[10] He had a season high 27 points on January 13, 2020, additionally posting five rebounds and two assists in a win over the South Bay Lakers.[11] In 42 games, Sampson averaged 13.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.[12]
Career statistics
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA
Regular season
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018–19 | Chicago | 14 | 2 | 15.3 | .467 | .379 | .667 | 1.1 | .7 | .6 | .2 | 5.1 |
Career | 14 | 2 | 15.3 | .467 | .379 | .667 | 1.1 | .7 | .6 | .2 | 5.1 |
References
- "Brandon Sampson follows in Jarell Martin's footsteps, named LSWA Mr. Basketball". The Times-Picayune. April 12, 2015. Archived from the original on October 6, 2015. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- Johnson, Chris (April 20, 2015). "LSU lands another star recruit, signing guard Brandon Sampson". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- Bewers, James (October 29, 2016). "With lessons learned from an inconsistent freshman year, LSU guard Brandon Sampson assumes a leadership role". The Advocate. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- Mickles, Sheldon (November 22, 2017). "LSU guard Brandon Sampson suffered severely sprained ankle, could be out a month". The Advocate. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- Hickey, Alex (January 22, 2018). "LSU basketball coach Will Wade challenges guard Brandon Sampson". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- Pacleb, Zac (July 11, 2018). "After testing his luck, Ex-LSU guard Brandon Sampson's trying to make his mark in NBA Summer League". The Advocate. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- "Rockets sign Brandon Sampson to an Exhibit 10 contract". Houston Chronicle. October 9, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- "Bulls sign Brandon Sampson to two-way contract". nba.com. December 27, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- "Bulls Start Fast, Never Look Back In Win Over Blue". nba.com. December 28, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- "VIPERS FINALIZE TRAINING CAMP ROSTER". NBA.com. October 27, 2019. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
- "Brandon Sampson: Posts season high in win". CBS Sports. January 13, 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
- Shipp, Sonny (May 26, 2020). "Former LSU Tigers nearing a return to NBA action". 247 Sports. Retrieved May 31, 2020.