PEMBROKE – Per the UNCP Hall of Fame committee's unanimous recommendation during their summer meeting, officials at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke announced on Tuesday the planned retirement of former basketball player and coach John W. "Ned" Sampson's No. 12 basketball jersey.
 
"Ned Sampson embodied the very best of UNC Pembroke and the community that helped shape him," said Chancellor Robin Gary Cummings. "As a standout student-athlete, he set the standard for excellence on the field and court. As a coach and educator, he poured that same passion into shaping young lives and strengthening this community. His leadership, humility, and love for Pembroke left a lasting mark on all who knew him. Retiring his jersey is a fitting tribute to a true Brave and a pillar of our university's proud history."
 
Sampson, a proud member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, was a standout student-athlete at what was then known as Pembroke State College playing football, basketball and baseball. As one of the first Native American athletes to achieve prominence at the institution, Sampson set a standard of excellence, perseverance, and sportsmanship that has continued to inspire generations. During his senior year, he averaged an impressive 24.3 points per game, showcasing his prolific scoring ability that was legendary throughout Robeson County.
 
"This is an amazing honor for my father," said Houston head men's basketball coach Kelvin Sampson. "He would be the first to give credit to my mother for her unconditional love and support, his coaches and teammates and friends and family. My father was a humble man who believed in servant leadership. It is fitting he is receiving this honor. His era does not get the recognition they so richly deserve. He represents his Lumbee brothers and sisters but also a time when justice was a dream more than a reality. I am proud to be his son, and I thank him for the many life lessons and dreams that he fostered in me. Thank you and God Bless all."
 
After his playing days, Sampson dedicated his life to education and athletics in Robeson County, serving as a longtime teacher and coach. He became the first American Indian to coach a high school basketball team in North Carolina, mentoring countless students and earning widespread respect for his leadership and integrity. His name is synonymous with excellence, skilled coaching, progress, empowerment, and community pride.
 
A 1953 graduate of Pembroke State College, Sampson was inducted into the UNC Pembroke Athletics Hall of Fame in 1980 and was inducted into the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005. He was also inducted as a charter member of the Robeson County Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. 
 
"Mr. Ned's impact and excellence, not only established basketball's prominence at UNCP, but also had an impact on thousands of youth that would shape the future of our whole county," said Director of Athletics Dick Christy. 
 
Sampson's jersey will officially be retired in the spring.