Bill Self has spent more than 20 years as the face of Kansas basketball. Now, at the age of 62 and with recent health scares, the topic of what comes next for him is becoming more relevant.
On the “Inside College Basketball Now” podcast on Thursday, insider Jon Rothstein asked Self what traits he was looking for in the future Kansas head coach, specifically whether the coach needs to have ties to the university. Self gave a candid answer, saying he would like a coach with ties to the school.
“I hope we hire the best guy that gives Kansas the best chance to have the best basketball future moving forward. Would I love for that guy to be one of my guys or have ties to Kansas? Absolutely. In a perfect world, yes. The answer is an emphatic yes,” he said.
“But at the end of the day, what I would probably hope? If that guy has ties, that’s fantastic. If he doesn’t have ties, get the best guy that can take this program, hopefully even to another level,” he added.
Bill Self weighs in on his potential successor at Kansas.
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🎧 https://t.co/EsZxIkcHSA (Spotify) pic.twitter.com/1fPrQxbOVF— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) July 31, 2025
His first preference would be that those who lack any connection to the university are not considered. Self wants the next coach to be someone who gets the Jayhawks, and it might not hurt to have someone from his current staff.
Internal Hires vs. Fresh Blood: What Kansas Might Prioritize When the Time Comes
College basketball schools like Kentucky and North Carolina have hired within their families, such as Mark Pope and Hubert Davis, with varying success.
Although other programs, such as Louisville and Indiana, also did the same, they didn’t find the same success.
On the same podcast, Self said he has seen it work in some programs and fail in others.
“I can certainly see keeping it in the family, but the reality of it is that you don’t do that at the expense of taking a step backwards. Right now, I think I’ve got a guy or two on my staff that would be fantastic. But timing is everything. I don’t want to speak for others, but from my vantage point, it’s worked out decent,” he said.
Kansas may already have a short list. Bill Self praised his existing staff and even hinted that one of his assistants will succeed him. However, he did not take names, which further supports the notion that when the moment finally arrives, the decision will be made based on fit, momentum, and legacy factors.
Having had a heart-related scare, Self, who has undergone the recent insertion of two stents, seems poised to carry on coaching the team in the short term. He was released from LMH Health in late July and said he’s feeling “strong” and ready for another run.
Having won 80 percent of his games and a national championship, Self and the Jayhawks will open their 2025 season with an exhibition match against Louisville on Oct. 24.
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