Samuel J. Levine

Samuel "Sam" Joseph Levine (March 8, 1991 – March 19, 2013) was an American basketball player and high school basketball coach. Levine was one of the top players in Oak Park High School (California) basketball program's history. Levine was known as an excellent three-point shooter and was named Tri-Valley League (CIF) MVP in 2009 after his senior year.

In 2013, Levine died after accidentally falling to his death at a hotel in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. After his death, Levine's friends and the University of Southern California have hosted events for charity in his honor.

Levine was born and raised in Oak Park, California. Levine is the son of Debra and Michael Levine. He was the youngest of three boys: Ryan, Andrew, and Samuel. Levine attended Brookside Elementary School and Medea Creek Middle School.

In addition to being an athlete, Levine was also a drummer in a band with Bryan Lazar called The Bassix, and they had performed at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.

Levine then attended Oak Park High School, where Levine played basketball for four years. Levine was also elected homecoming king at Oak Park High School (California) for four straight years. During his first year, Levine played on the junior varsity team where he was coached by Aaron Shaw. From 2006–2007, Levine played on the Oak Park basketball varsity team as a sophomore, and the team went 10–2. During his junior campaign, Levine made second team Tri-Valley League (CIF) honors. The Eagles made it to the CIF semi-final, playing Price High School. The Eagles were Tri-Valley League Champions.

In 2009—Levine's senior year—Levine starred for the Eagles. Eleven players graduated from the 2008 varsity team, and Levine took a leadership role during the 2009 season. Levine averaged 17.1 points and six rebounds per game. After his 2009 campaign, Levine won the Tri-Valley League (CIF) Most Valuable Player award. Levine was known as an excellent three-point shooter, and came in second in a three-point shooting contest at the Battle of the Valley Skills Contest. Levine had the opportunity to play college basketball, but instead chose to pursue his dream of attending the University of Southern California.

Levine became one of the best players in Oak Park's history. Levine's coach, Tim Chevalier, said of Levine's career: "Sam goes down as perhaps the best, pure (basketball) shooter in the history of Oak Park High." After Levine's death, Oak Park High School (California) set up a basketball scholarship in his name. In 2015, OPHS will be retiring Levine's No. 12.

After graduating from high school, Levine attended Moorpark College for one year before transferring to USC in 2010. While at Moorpark, Levine worked as an assistant coach to the sophomore/freshman team at Oak Park High School. Levine was initially asked to be head coach of the freshman/sophomore team. Levine, however, wasn't sure he was ready at the age of eighteen, and he agreed to be an assistant coach under another former Oak Park High School Basketball player who graduated in 2000.

University of Southern California

Levine was a practice player on the USC Women's Basketball Team—his second year—and was a marketing director for USC Trojans baseball his junior year. While at USC, Levine was an active member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. In 2012, Levine worked as an intern at several companies, including Wasserman Media Group and Lineage Interactive, which are sports and entertainment marketing agencies.

In 2013, Levine died after falling six floors at a hotel in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, while on spring break from University of Southern California. The night before his funeral, his fraternity brothers at Sigma Chi held a memorial for Levine. On March 27, a funeral was held at St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church in Westlake Village, California. Levine was well-regarded by members of his community. Levine's former basketball coach and the then-basketball coach at Ventura College, Joey Ramirez, gave the eulogy for Levine.

Foundation and fundraising

In January 2014, Levine's friends donated basketballs to children at the Boys and Girls Club in Claremont, California. On March 28, 2014, Bryan Lazar and other musicians gave the inaugural concert in Levine's name to raise funds for the Samuel Joseph Levine Memorial Trust Fund at USC. The money in the trust fund went toward the USC's Trojan Kids Camp.

In December 2014, two of Sam's friends put together an event called "Excel like 12" in conjunction with A Better LA. A Better LA joined with USC to have a "Samuel Levine Memorial Day event." They brought 90 children and their parents to a USC men's basketball game, got a tee-shirt with Excel Like 12, and a brand new basketball was given at the end of the game.