Family, health, and program direction weigh on Bill Self's mind following Kansas' early tournament exit. What will he decide next?
Bill Self to evaluate future after Kansas’ NCAA Tournament exit
In the moments after Kansas’ season ended in heartbreak, Bill Self wasn’t ready to look too far ahead. But for the first time in a while, he acknowledged the question that now hangs over the program's future. What comes next?
Following a 67-65 loss to St. John’s on a last-second layup Sunday, Self said he plans to take time to evaluate his future, pointing to both family and health as factors in the decision.
“I’ll get back and get with family and visit and see what’s going on,” Self said. “I love what I do. I need to be able to do it where I’m feeling good and healthy to do it… fairly well. So I’ll get back home and it’ll all be discussed.”
Self stopped short of making any declaration about returning or stepping away, but the uncertainty comes after a season that never fully clicked.
Kansas finished 24-11 and showed flashes of its potential, including a late comeback Sunday that nearly erased a 14-point deficit. Still, inconsistency defined much of the year.
“I didn’t think we ever got rhythm offensively the whole year,” Self said. “It seemed like we were adjusting on the fly quite a bit.”
The loss also marked the fourth straight year the Jayhawks failed to reach the NCAA Tournament’s second weekend, an unusual stretch for a program that has long set the standard for consistency.
Self, however, made clear he does not believe a complete overhaul is needed.
“A new identity, no,” he said. “I actually believe that we need to do a really good job evaluating and recruiting.”
That process begins immediately, with roster decisions and transfer portal movement expected to shape the program’s direction in the coming weeks.
Health will also remain part of the conversation. Self has dealt with multiple issues in recent years, including a heart procedure in 2023 and additional treatment last summer. Still, he said Sunday he feels “as good as I’ve felt in a long time.”
For now, the focus shifts away from the court. Self said his decision will not be tied to a single loss, even one as painful as Sunday’s. Instead, it will come with time, reflection and a broader evaluation of what lies ahead for both him and the program he has led for more than two decades.
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