Salina Basketball Legend Nino Samuel Enters Kansas Sports Hall of Fame
Nino Samuel, one of the most accomplished basketball players in Salina history, was inducted posthumously into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday, July 25, during a ceremony at Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane.
Samuel was one of 32 people selected for the Hall of Fame’s 2026 class, the largest induction class in the organization’s history. The inductees are being recognized during three separate ceremonies across Kansas this summer. Samuel was among the athletes selected for recognition during Saturday’s Wichita-area ceremony.
A Record-Setting Career at Salina Central
Samuel moved to Salina in December 1969 and joined the Salina High basketball team during his sophomore season. He played 16 games that season, averaging 12.8 points and 11.1 rebounds while helping the team win its first Central Kansas League championship since the mid-1950s.
The following season was the school’s first competing as Salina Central High School. Samuel averaged 23.5 points per game and helped lead the Mustangs to the 1971 Class 4A state championship.
Samuel was named the most valuable player of the state tournament and was selected as the Kansas high school basketball player of the year.
Samuel was even more productive during his senior season, averaging 31.1 points per game and earning Kansas Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive year. He was also named a 1972 Parade High School All-American.
One of Samuel’s most notable performances came during the McPherson Invitational, when he scored 54 points and collected 18 rebounds in a five-point semifinal victory over Garden City.
Over his three seasons at Salina High and Salina Central, Samuel averaged 23.3 points and approximately 15 rebounds per game.
Official records differ slightly on his career rebounding average. Salina Central lists Samuel at 15.2 rebounds per game, while the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame lists his Kansas high school career record at 15.3 rebounds per game. The Hall of Fame also credits Samuel with the state’s single-season rebounding record of 19.3 per game and reports that both records remain in place.
College and Professional Basketball
After graduating from Salina Central, Samuel joined the University of Kansas basketball program.
KU records list Samuel as a 6-foot-5, 210-pound forward who wore No. 34. He appeared in 21 games during the 1972-73 and 1973-74 seasons, recording 73 points and 72 rebounds.
Samuel later played at Marymount College in Salina. According to Salina Central’s Hall of Fame records, he went on to play professionally for Athletes in Action, the Las Vegas Dealers and a team in the Philippines.
A Lasting Salina Legacy
Samuel was inducted into the inaugural class of the Salina Central Athletic Hall of Fame during the 2019-20 school year.
He died June 17, 2020, at age 67. His induction into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame places him among the athletes, coaches and sports figures whose accomplishments have had a lasting impact on Kansas sports.
Former Saline County Commissioner Monte Shadwick attended Saturday’s induction ceremony, saying he wanted Salina Central represented as Samuel received the honor.
“I loved watching him while I was younger,” Shadwick said. “I just thought someone from Salina Central should be at the ceremony. Great memories!”
More than five decades after Samuel played his final game for Salina Central, his scoring performances, state championship and rebounding records remain an enduring part of the school’s basketball history.
