Bill Self will return as Kansas basketball coach, ending retirement speculation

One of the most famous and accomplished coaches in men’s college basketball will not be leaving the sideline — at least not quite yet.

After weeks of speculation about a potential retirement, Kansas coach Bill Self announced on Wednesday, April 1 that he will be remaining with the Jayhawks.

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“With renewed clarity and the ongoing support from our administration, I remain focused and committed to Kansas basketball competing for a national championship,” Self said in a statement. “I look forward to seeing and hearing the best fans in college basketball next season at Allen Fieldhouse.”

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Self recently completed his 23rd season at the school, where he has gone 648-167, made four Final Fours and won two national championships. He’s the winningest coach in Kansas history, with more wins at the university than Phog Allen and Roy Williams, among others.

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This past season, a Jayhawks team led by potential No. 1 overall NBA Draft pick Darryn Peterson went 24-11 and earned a No. 4 seed to the 2026 NCAA Tournament, where they lost on a buzzer-beater against St. John’s in the second round.

It marked the fourth-consecutive season that Kansas failed to make it to at least the Sweet 16, the longest such skid in Self’s time in Lawrence.

At 63 years old, Self is relatively young for someone with his lengthy resume, but he has dealt with several health-related issues in recent years that have raised questions about his future in an increasingly demanding and draining profession. Last July, Self had two stents inserted after experiencing what the school described as “some concerning symptoms.” In January, he was hospitalized and did not travel with the team for its 75-69 win at Colorado, a move the university said was “out of an abundance of caution” after the coach was “feeling under the weather.”

After the loss to St. John’s on March 22, Self said he hadn’t yet made a decision on…

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Publish date : 2026-04-01 22:55:00

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