Houston Basketball Gets Massive Injury Update on Veteran Forward

Kelvin Sampson shared positive news on Jojo Tugler's recovery, saying that the junior forward appears to be ahead of schedule.

Apr 7, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson and forward Joseph Tugler (11) look on against the Florida Gators during the second half of the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Only days ago, Houston Basketball was ranked No.2 in the country by the AP Poll. While Houston appears to once again be a titan in the college basketball world, questions remain about the Cougars' health entering the season.

During media days for both men's and women's basketball, Coach Kelvin Sampson provided the media and fans alike with a positive injury report on junior forward Jojo Tugler. The Monroe, Louisiana native had foot surgery back in June, but his recovery appears to be ahead of schedule based on Sampson's remarks during media day.

Joseph Tugler, Houston 6-8 PF, 20 y/o
-Strong case for CBB's best defender: 12.4 BLK%, 2.8 STL%, off-ball instincts off the charts with the movement/hops to make plays, capitalize on quick processing/reads. Guards all different archetypes
-14.5 O-REB%. Motor/physicality under… pic.twitter.com/l3ECiuCG8k

— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) October 6, 2025

While Tugler doesn't necessarily light up the scoreboard, the forward's defense is among the best in college basketball. In only two years with the Cougars, the junior has earned an impressive list of honors, including the 2024-25 Lefty Driesell Award and the 2024-25 Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year award.

Sampson Opens Up on Managing Injuries, Offers Insight On Tugler's Recovery

Apr 6, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson talks to the media at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

When asked if Tugler would have any limitations in Houston's season-opener on Nov. 3, Coach Sampson responded by saying that he doesn't expect anything of the sort.

"I don't anticipate any limitations, but he's still getting in shape," Sampson said. "We had a big scrimmage on Saturday, and he actually played more minutes than I anticipated. I don't really put limitations on them."

After Sampson gave the good news on Tugler's recovery, the head coach gave some insight on how he manages player injuries, especially when they require surgery.

"This time last year, Terrance (Arceneaux) was coming off an Achilles tendon surgery," Sampson said. "I told Terrance, I told Kalifa (Sakho) and Jojo the same thing: if it's bothering you, don't ask for permission to step out. You know your pain, so coach yourself.

"We've always been really understanding with kids with surgeries," Sampson added. "Sometimes the kid has pain, you're not going to step off for that; we all have pain, but surgeries are a different animal."

Tugler being ahead of schedule means good things for the Cougars as they look to repeat the success of last year's season. Houston finished the season 35-5 with their only losses being against No.3 Florida, No.9 Alabama, No.11 Auburn, No.22 Texas Tech, and San Diego State.

As a freshman, Tugler made 28 appearances while averaging 16 minutes per game and shooting just over 55% from the floor. Last season as a sophomore, the forward saw even more time on the court, averaging 21 minutes played while making 33 starts for the Cougars.

If Tugler is a full participant in workouts before the season starts, Coog Nation could see another jump in the junior's impact on the team.

During his sophomore season, Tugler totaled 235 total rebounds, 77 blocks, and 38 steals for Houston. If the forward's defense maintains the same level as last year, the Cougars could once again make a deep run into March—and possibly even April.