Coppin State men’s basketball graduate student Sam Sessoms recently talked with PressBox about why he transferred to Coppin, the players he models his game after and more. The 6-foot, 189-pound guard scored 1,151 points at Binghamton from 2018-2020 and 556 at Penn State from 2020-2022. He averaged 11.6 points and 2.6 assists per game for the Nittany Lions as a senior in 2021-22. Sessoms is a native of Philadelphia and graduate of The Shipley School.
PressBox: How did you become interested in basketball?
Sam Sessoms: I became interested in basketball through my father, [Sam Sr.]. He played basketball growing up. I was [around] for the latter end of his years when he would still play for fun and in recreational leagues for older men, so like 35-and-older basketball leagues. He would take me and my sister to go watch him and play. And then growing up in my community, it was either football or basketball. My neighborhood didn’t really have too many football players because we didn’t have many fields around us. We had basketball courts. I just kind of gravitated toward it.
PB: Who was the biggest influence on your game growing up?
SS: It’s really my family, to be honest, just them in general. They just inspire me to play and be the best I can be.
PB: Considering the tragedy your family went through, do you play with your brother, Sidney, in mind and try to win for him? (Sidney and Sam Sr. were shot in their Philadelphia home last September, and Sidney died at a local hospital.)
SS: He’s always on my shoulder no matter what. Obviously I want to win as much as I can, but honestly, I try not to think like that, like, “I’ve got to win for him.” That’s too much pressure. I just know if I go out there and do the best I can, everything will work out, whether it’s a win or a loss. It would definitely be lovely to win, just for him — because I know he’s up there watching. But for the most part, I’m going to do the best I can and try to win for myself and my teammates and my coaches right then. Afterward, it’ll be just be collateral happiness.
PB: Why did you transfer to Coppin State after two seasons each at Binghamton and Penn State?
SS: There was a lot of stuff outside of basketball, but as far as basketball, not too many people get a chance to play with a great player and coach like Juan Dixon. As far as basketball, it just made the most sense. I wanted win, go out with a title. I felt like with Coppin State being runner-up in the MEAC [in 2021-22] to Norfolk State, I feel like adding a player like myself, if I come in and do what I’m supposed to do and listen to the coaching staff, then if anything that should get us right back in that game and give us another opportunity to win. I just felt like it was the best decision as far as being able to go to another school and having a [better] chance of winning a conference.
PB: What’s it been like to be coached by Juan Dixon so far?
SS: He’s a good coach, great person. So is the rest of the staff. … I think everyone on our staff played basketball in college. The practices are high level, highly detailed. The film studies are amazing because they know exactly what’s right or wrong.
PB: What’s your favorite memory so far from your college career?
SS: There’s so many. I’ve been in college for awhile. I would say last year when we played Ohio State. We beat them in the conference tournament. They were ranked. They beat us two times in the regular season. They were very close games, but we were coming together at the end of the year and we beat Minnesota in the first round. By the time we got to Ohio State, it was the basketball gods testing us. We were down at the half. It’s our rival school. The gym is packed. We ended up [winning, 71-68]. The team morale and the excitement of our coaching staff, our families down there with us in Indianapolis, I would say that’s the best one.
PB: Who’s your best friend on the team and what’s a story that underscores your friendship?
SS: I kind of grew up with Justin Steers — not grew up, but I’m talking about the basketball world. We played against each other in high school, so I’m pretty close with him. We both [originally] committed to Binghamton, actually. That’s a fun fact very few know, probably. … That right there talks about our friendship. We decided to commit because of one another.
PB: Who did you look up to early in your college career?
SS: I didn’t really have a team growing up. I didn’t really think about college growing up until I got to 11th or so grade … then I started working out and taking basketball super serious. When I was in high school, Kobe Bryant was my favorite player, but I would say Russell Westbrook was the player I would try to model my game after because of his mentality. Obviously he’s an athletic freak, I just love his mentality. But as far as actual basketball skill and people I watch film on, I would say more Chris Paul, Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet — their body types and their style of play.
PB: What advice would you give to younger players?
SS: I would say just never doubt yourself. My senior year, I had one offer. I committed to Binghamton. They were my only offer. After my AAU season ended on the [Nike] EYBL circuit, I had one offer. I had one AAU coach in particular even tell me I should start to [explore] D-II schools. No slight to any Division II level, I just knew that I could play at the highest level. Some kids nowadays hear things like that and get discouraged easily. I committed to Binghamton and ended up going to the Big Ten, in my opinion the best Division I basketball league in the country. I went from having a coach say to start considering D-II to playing in the Big Ten at the highest level, being a starting guard. Just never give up and never doubt yourself.
PB: What are your goals for after basketball, whenever it ends?
SS: I’m still figuring that out. Hopefully my basketball career has a long road so I have plenty of time to figure that out. I majored in sociology at Penn State and minored in rehabilitation and human services. Sociology is really broad, but I know one thing I always mentioned at a young age was if there was anything I would like to do it would be helping the kids that came from areas of need and just being able to understand different people, different perspectives and get everybody to come together and things like that.
Photo Credit: Tim Rice/TagTheShooter/Coppin State Athletics