Top 10 Recruit Isiah Harwell Champions Culture In Picking Houston Over the University of Texas, Gonzaga — Inside Another Kelvin Sampson Coup

Kelvin Sampson and the University of Houston basketball program just continue to win. Big. Isiah Harwell, the eighth ranked high school player in the country, committed to Sampson’s UH program on Thursday afternoon, giving the Cougars a major recruiting coup.

Harwell picked Houston over fellow finalists University of Texas, Gonzaga and Cal in a reveal broadcast live on On3’s YouTube channel. And he already sounds like a Kelvin Sampson Cougar.

Flanked by his parents, his brother and all his high school teammates, Harwell brings up culture twice in his commitment announcement. Of course, Culture and Family (which is also brought up by Harwell) is what Sampson’s built one of the most elite college basketball programs in America around, using them as centering principles.

“I’d just say the culture,” Harwell says when the On3 host Joe Tipton asks what made Houston stick out as his final choice. “Everybody’s a family there. They always bring each other along. We talk to each other. They never leave anybody out. It’s a great little place.”

The ultra talented shooting guard becomes the highest-ranked recruit ever for Houston in the modern rankings era. He joins a University of Houston program that excels in developing its players, having produced three NBA Draft pick guards in the last four years — Quentin Grimes, a first rounder in 2021; Marcus Sasser, a first rounder in 2023; and Jamal Shead, a second rounder in June.

The 6-foot-6 Harwell is not the only five star recruit Houston basketball is in on with this 2025 class. UH is also majorly involved with Top 25 point guard Kingston Flemings; 6-foot-10 Chris Cenac Jr., the sixth ranked player in the entire nation in the ESPN 2025 Top 100; Houston area high school power forward John Clark, a Top 50 nationally ranked player; and Bellaire forward Shelton Henderson, a Top 30 player. Kelvin Sampson could be signing his own version of a Houston historic Fab 5 class if absolutely everything falls into place.

“I’d just say the culture. Everybody’s a family there. They always bring each other along. We talk to each other. They never leave anybody out.” — five star recruit Isiah Harwell on why he picked the University of Houston

But those are thoughts and possibilities for another day. Landing Isiah Harwell is worthy enough of a celebration on its own, giving this elite UH basketball program its most naturally gifted player since Jarace Walker played for the Cougars during the 2022-23 season. Walker arrived at Houston as a McDonald’s All-American, the 10th ranked player in his high school class.

Harwell is ranked a few spots higher in his class, coming in at No, 8 in both Rivals and On3’s rankings. ESPN puts him at No. 14 in its own Top 100.

“Coach Sampson and the staff believes in me,” Harwell said shortly after pulling on a red UH hat to signify his choice. “And it’s a great place. It’s a great place.”

UH’s talented coaching staff of Kellen Sampson, Quannas White, Hollis Price and K.C. Beard got in on Isiah Harwell early and that mattered in the end. Houston is the only school that Harwell made two trips to, the place where he ended up feeling the most comfortable.

In Kelvin Sampson’s University of Houston program, recruiting takes a whole village. Current players included.

“We make these recruits feel like they’re already part of the team,” sophomore power forward JoJo Tugler tells PaperCity. “We family. That’s what we do.”