Bill self plans to stay with Kansas Jayhawks following health scare

Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self made it clear that he has no plans to retire 

This follows a health scare he had in early March

Self had to undergo a heart procedure after experiencing tightness in his chest

Despite a health scare in March, Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self made it clear that he has no plans to retire at this time.

Last month, Self had to undergo a heart procedure after experiencing tightness in his chest as well as balance issues. In order to treat a pair of blocked arteries, doctors placed two stents in Self’s heart.

Per Dave Skretta of the Associated Press, the 60-year-old head coach informed reporters on Apr. 5 that he’s feeling good and plans to continue coaching the Jayhawks.

“To be honest,” Self said, “I haven’t done a lot since the Big 12 Tournament. But I’m exercising almost daily. I don’t know if you guys believe this: They told me that I need to improve my diet and exercise more.

“But I feel fine,” Self added. “My energy level is probably back to where it was prior to the episode but not where it’s getting ready to go, I believe. I think sometimes we don’t realize we don’t feel well until we actually feel well and know the difference. And I’m in the process of feeling well again, so I’m excited about that.”

Bill Self, the head coach of Kansas Jayhawks. Photo/Photo/CBS

The Jayhawks will once again open next season as one of the premier favorites, and 2023-24 will mark the second campaign in which residents of The Wheat State will be able to place wagers on their favorite teams. Customers can take advantage of the BetMGM Bonus code Kansas promo where if you place a $10 bet on an MLB game, you’ll receive $100 in free bets instantly.

Through the many available Kansas sportsbooks, you can place all sorts of different bets. This includes futures, props, parlays, over/under totals and point spreads. The sportsbooks also allow you to play your favorite casino games through mobile devices, such as poker, roulette, slots and blackjack.

Self did admit that he pondered his future as a basketball coach, but it didn’t take long for him to ultimately determine his long-term plan.

“I think the last several weeks I’ve been able to reflect on a lot of things,” Self said, per Skretta. “The one thing I can tell you without question: I missed my job. I love my job and I want to do my job for a long time. That’s what is positive.”

With Self recovering from the heart procedure, assistant Norm Roberts assumed head coaching duties. Roberts coached the defending national champions through the Big 12 tournament as well as March Madness.

The Jayhawks entered the 2022-23 season trying to become the first team to win back-to-back national championships since the Florida Gators, who won it all in 2006 and ‘07. But their bid for a repeat ended in round two with a heartbreaking 72-71 loss to Arkansas.

Self’s Rise To Becoming A Basketball Coaching Legend

The state of Kansas doesn’t have a team in any of the “big four” North American professional sports leagues — the NFL, NBA, MLB or NHL.

Of course, the professional teams in the nearby state of Missouri in the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, the NHL’s St. Louis Blues as well as the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball all have high followings in The Wheat State.

Sports fans in Kansas absolutely love their college teams. The Jayhawks’ men’s basketball program is one of the most historic and legendary in American sports, and Self has played a central role in maintaining that status.

Self played basketball at Oklahoma State from 1981 to ‘85 before deciding to enter a career of coaching. He began as an assistant for the Jayhawks in 1985-86, working under legendary head coach Larry Brown.

Self returned to his alma mater and served as an assistant for the Cowboys from 1986 to ‘93. Self’s success there landed him the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles’ coaching position in 1993, and he stayed there until the 1996-97 season before moving on to the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes’ program the following year.

Bill Self. Photo/ Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

Tulsa got as far as the Elite Eight in 2000, but they were eliminated by the powerhouse North Carolina Tar Heels by a final score of 59-55. The Michigan State Spartans went on to defeat the Florida Gators in the championship game.

The Illinois Fighting Illini’s head coaching position opened up in 2000, and Self left Tulsa to take on a new challenge. The Fighting Illini were a powerhouse under Self, compiling 78 wins over just 24 losses.

Illinois advanced all the way to the Elite Eight in 2001, but they were eliminated 87-81 by Arizona. The Wildcats went on to reach the finals, but they fell to Mike Krzyzewski and the heavyweight Duke squad.

After a storied 15-year run as the Jayhawks’ head coach, Roy Williams left the program in 2003 to coach the Tar Heels. In a life-changing move, Self then took the Jayhawks’ head coaching position. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Through the 2022-23 season, Self had an incredible 580-132 record as head coach of the Jayhawks. This run, of course, has been highlighted by national championships in the 2007-08 and 2021-22 seasons.

Self long ago cemented himself as one of the all-time great basketball minds, having experienced success with four different programs. He is among the most influential figures in both college sports and the history of Kansas.

The Jayhawks will always remain a contender as long as Self continues to serve as their head coach. Fortunately for the school, he doesn’t plan on going anywhere any time soon.