Indiana pays Sampson to go away

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana basketball coach Kelvin Sampson has agreed to a $750,000 buyout with the school, university spokesman Larry MacIntyre said. Assistant Dan Dakich has been named interim head coach.

The deal includes a provision that prevents Sampson from filing suit against the university seeking further damages. The agreement was expected to be signed later Friday.

Senior captain D.J. White, Armon Bassett, Jordan Crawford, Jamarcus Ellis, DeAndre Thomas and Brandon McGee skipped Dakich’s first practice in the afternoon. It is unknown if they will play when the 15th-ranked Hoosiers travel to Northwestern today.

“While I’m saddened that I will not have the opportunity to coach these student-athletes, I feel that this is in the best interest of the program for me to step away at this time,” Sampson said in a statement released by the university. “I wish my players nothing but the best for the remainder of the season.”

An NCAA report cited Sampson for making improper phone calls to high school players, then providing false and misleading information to investigators from both the university and the NCAA.

Athletic director Rick Greenspan met briefly with Sampson in the morning. A few minutes after Greenspan left the coach’s office, Sampson walked down a ramp with his wife, Karen.

Players, managers, assistant coaches and the coach’s son, Kellen Sampson, then gathered in the locker room for what appeared to be a team meeting that broke up about midday.

Last week the school released the NCAA’s report alleging Sampson also failed to promote a high standard of honesty and an atmosphere of rules compliance in the program.

Sampson has said he never intentionally provided false or misleading information to NCAA investigators.

According to the contract signed in April 2006, Indiana was paying Sampson an annual base salary of $500,000.

An anonymous donor gave the university $550,000 to help with the buyout.

Sampson was head coach at Washington State University for seven seasons ending with the 1992-93 season.