Bill Self shuts down rumors of looming retirement
By JAMES MADDEN
Just days after Kansas’ season ended in heartbreaking defeat, head coach Bill Self has been on the receiving end of widespread speculation about a looming retirement. Self, the Hall of Fame coach, has shut down those rumors, at least for now.
In a report first published by the Kansas City Star’s Gary Bedore, Self said he has no timetable for a decision on his future and called rumors that he’d be retiring on Wednesday, “B.S., bad info.”
While the longtime Kansas head coach has battled a variety of health issues for multiple years, he seemed to have a found a new energy in coaching this year.
Since he led the Jayhawks to a national championship in 2022, Self has had numerous hospital visits and stays, most recently in January when he was rushed out of a practice with “abnormal chest issues” and forced to miss a road win at Colorado.
With North Carolina firing Hubert Davis on Tuesday, Self’s retirement would mean a coaching vacancy at two of the nation’s most storied programs in the same cycle.
If Self does decide to hang it up after a legendary career, he would leave Kansas as the winningest coach in program history, with two national titles to show for it. Former player and current assistant Jacque Vaughn is widely considered the frontrunner to take over when Self retires.
Prior to this season, Self said he would never consider leaving Kansas on a down year, but it’s unclear if this year would be considered that. Finishing 24-11, the Jayhawks were seconds away from mounting an incredible comeback against St. John’s, before falling at the hands of Dylan Darling’s last-second buzzer-beater.
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