NCAA BASKETBALL: Kansas coach Bill Self will take time to evaluate future

Kansas coach Bill Self remains uncertain about his future after the Jayhawks’ NCAA Tournament exit, citing health and family considerations as key factors in his decision. The Hall of Famer, who has won two national championships, said he will discuss next steps with his family before making any announcements.

FIELD LEVEL MEDIA / Reuters

March 24, 2026

NCAA BASKETBALL: Kansas coach Bill Self will take time to evaluate future

Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self speaks at a press conference ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena in San Diego, California, on March 19, 2026.

Denis Poroy / Reuters

Bill Self remained noncommittal about his future as Kansas coach following the Jayhawks’ season-ending loss in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday. The No. 4 seed fell to No. 5 seed St. John’s on a buzzer-beater in the second round, and Self said he plans to meet with his family before making any decisions.

“I haven’t really gone through much on the court,” Self said. “I’ve gone through some stuff off the court. So I’ll get back and get with family and visit and see what’s going on. 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. I’ll get back home, and it will all be discussed.”

Self’s remarks suggest his decision will be influenced more by his health than the team’s turbulent season. Kansas’ campaign was marked by instability surrounding freshman phenom Darryn Peterson, one of the frontrunners to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft this June. Peterson missed 11 games due to multiple injuries, including quad and hamstring issues, which became a recurring topic throughout the season.

Self’s own health concerns first surfaced in 2023, when he was hospitalized with chest tightness and had two stents inserted to treat blocked arteries. He missed both the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments that year. In July 2025, he underwent another procedure to insert two stents. In mid-January, Self was taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital after feeling unwell, receiving IV fluids and missing a road game at Colorado.

“I don’t know about completely,” Self said Sunday regarding his health, “but I’m feeling—I feel as good as I’ve felt in a long time. I’m not making any statements whatsoever. When you get to be doing it as long as I have, I look at it in five-year increments. Now I’m probably looking at it more in two-year increments, so to speak. I try to focus on this season and try to get us to a second weekend, which we failed at. I’ll go back now, break it down, and see where that leads.”

Self, 63, has led Kansas to two national championships (2008, 2022) and four Final Fours since being hired in 2003, compiling a 648-167 (.795) record. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.

—Field Level Media/Reuters