He watches a player. If he likes him, he tries to sign him. Sampson first noticed Gilbert while sitting alongside former OU assistant coach Jason Rabedeaux, now the coach at Texas-El Paso. That kid has a radar for rebounds. End of conversation.
Good timing helps.
Two seasons ago, OU gobbled up guard Hollis Price out of New Orleans because of the Lester Earl fallout at Louisiana State. This season, the Sooners landed Gilbert out of Minneapolis because of the academic scandal at Minnesota. If the Sooners happen to finish No. 1 in this year's recruiting war, don't look for Sampson to be flashing his index finger. They'd never seen the kids play. It becomes a gossip thing.