Kelvin Sampson, Fran Fraschilla and More Big Names To Be Part of New H-Town Basketball Tipoff Event — a PaperCity Exclusive

Houston basketball is getting the tipoff event it has long deserved. The inaugural H-Town Basketball Tipoff with Fran Fraschilla as the guest speaker, and Kelvin Sampson and every other Houston area men’s and women’s college basketball coach scheduled to take part in a panel discussion, will be held before the upcoming season, PaperCity has learned.

This first ever H-Town Basketball Tipoff will be a special luncheon on October 28, five days before the college basketball’s full fledged November 2 opening day. Plans call for the H-Town Tipoff to become an annual event that brings all the college coaches in the Houston area together and builds excitement for the season.

Another highlight? The 2026-27 Boys and Girls Preseason High School Basketball Teams will be revealed at the event, bringing the best high school players and high school coaches into the mix as well.

Plans call for this H-Town Basketball Tipoff to be formally announced — and for tickets to go on sale — Wednesday night. More significant surprise guests from the basketball world will be revealed leading up to the Tipoff.

While sports like Major League Baseball and college football have long built excitement around their seasons opening, the arrival of college and high school basketball has not been trumpeted in the same way. The Houston Athletic Committee, the sister organization of the Touchdown Club of Houston, aims to change that with this new H-Town Tipoff.

Considering that every University of Houston basketball season is highly anticipated in this Kelvin Sampson golden era, Rice basketball coach Rob Lanier is entering a critical third season and Texas Southern bringing in a new basketball coach, there should be plenty to talk about at this first Tipoff. UH women’s basketball coach Matthew Mitchell is also bringing a revamped, much improved roster into his second season at Houston.

Fran Fraschilla gives the Tipoff another more than worthy headliner. The Voice of Big 12 Hoops in many ways, Fraschilla is a regular presence around UH basketball and one of the most respected authorities on college and international basketball. If you want to get some smart, compelling hoops talk going, having Fraschilla at the mic is always a good idea.

An ESPN staple, a Hall of Fame worthy coach in Kelvin Sampson and celebrating the best boys and girls high school basketball players in talent-packed Houston. . . what more could you want from an H-Town Basketball Tipoff?

This is a developing story and will be updated.