The Houston Cougars had an exceptional 2024-25 season, finishing 35-5 and a dominant 19-1 mark in Big 12 play.
They clinched both the regular season title and the Big 12 Tournament championship.
In the NCAA Tournament, the Cougars advanced all the way to the national championship game, where they narrowly fell to Florida by a two-point margin.
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Under the leadership of head coach Kelvin Sampson, the team solidified its status as one of college basketball’s elite programs.
A quiet announcement on Wednesday signaled another boost for the national runners-up.
Redshirt freshman Kordelius Jefferson will return for the 2025-26 season, per the Houston Men’s Hoops official X account.
Jefferson, a 6-foot-3 guard out of Bogue Chitto, Mississippi, sat out his freshman season recovering from wrist surgery and played in just 16 games this past year, averaging 3.6 minutes per game.
Yet his blend of athleticism, defensive grit and familiarity with Coach Sampson’s system makes his return noteworthy.
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Jefferson arrived in Houston as a Top 100 player nationally and was listed as the No. 7 recruit in Texas.
He chose the Cougars over Tennessee, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M.
Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson.Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Jefferson joins a returning core that includes 2025 Big 12 Championship Most Outstanding Player Emanuel Sharp and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Joseph Tugler.
As Houston reassembles its title-contending squad, adding a healthy, experienced Jefferson ensures the Coogs maintain their defensive sting and rotational balance.
With most of its contributors returning, Houston enters 2025-26 as a favorite to finally capture its first national championship.
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