UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts toward officials after not getting a foul call in second half against the Washington Huskies at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial on Feb 7, 2026.
Houston men’s basketball head coach Kelvin Sampson’s complained about the program’s athletic department’s lack of spending earlier this month. UCLA men’s basketball coach Mick Cronin had a hilarious response to the complaints.
“We have a very poor athletic department. We’re poor,” Sampson said after a 79-55 win over UCF on Feb. 4. “We were poor when I got here, and we’re still poor.”
Cronin, who is known for his blunt personality, heard Sampson’s complaints and jokingly sent the Power 4 rival one dollar to help their financial situation.
“Mick Cronin had the best line,” Sampson told college basketball reporter Jeff Goodman in an interview released Sunday. “He Venmos me a dollar … (and) he said, ‘Yo, man, I heard your shtick — (at) postgame press conferences, you gotta learn not to say certain things. But I did get that you don’t have very much, so here’s a dollar.’”
Houston is one of the best men’s college basketball teams in the nation and is currently ranked No. 2 in the NCAA. Meanwhile, UCLA is unranked and holds a 17-8 record so far this season.
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The Bruins and Cougars have only gone head-to-head once in program history during the 2001-02 season. UCLA defeated Houston by a score of 71-60 in the opening round of the Maui Invitational.
Cronin Is Known For His Blunt and Sarcastic Statements
Cronin has become known for his blunt and sarcastic personality, especially in his postgame press conferences. He frequently calls out his own players and their performances to reporters.
After UCLA suffered a 30-point loss to No. 1 Michigan on Saturday, Cronin said the Bruins were “god-awful” in the second half of the game.
Feb 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts toward officials after not getting a foul call in second half against the Washington Huskies at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Despite his controversial statements, Cronin has found a lot of success since becoming UCLA’s head coach in April 2019. He is a two-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year (2020, 2023) and has led UCLA to four playoff appearances.
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Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
The post UCLA’s Mick Cronin Trolls Houston Coach With $1 After Complaints About A Low Budget appeared first on LA Sports Report.
