The University of Kansas has announced that Bill Self, the men’s basketball team’s head coach, underwent a cardiac procedure involving the placement of two stents on Thursday. According to the university, the operation proceeded as expected, and Self is projected to fully recuperate.
Self, who is 62 years old, was taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital, located on the university’s campus, after feeling unwell and showing “troublesome indications.” The statement indicates that he is anticipated to be discharged from the hospital “shortly.”
“Bill Self, the coach of the Kansas men’s basketball squad, was feeling ill and displayed some worrying signs on Thursday,” according to a statement released by the Kansas athletics department. “He was rushed to Lawrence Memorial Hospital, where physicians inserted two stents.”
“The treatment was successful, and his full recovery is predicted,” the statement went on to say. “His mood is good, and he is hoping to be let out of the hospital soon.”
Self was unable to participate in the Big 12 tournament and the NCAA tournament in 2023 after undergoing a cardiac operation in which he underwent catheterization and had two stents implanted to unblock clogged arteries. The Jayhawks, who were coming off a national title in 2021-22, were ranked as the tournament’s top seed before falling to No. 8 Arkansas in the second round.
Self made his way back to the team on April 5, 2023, acknowledging the necessity of making adjustments to his way of life after the health issue.
“I believe I need to awaken a bit and perhaps do some things from a lifestyle perspective, a personal habit standpoint, that I’ve been very, very, very inconsistent with throughout my adult life,” Self informed reporters at the time, as per the Associated Press.
“And I said that jokingly earlier, can you imagine a doctor telling you to lose weight, eat right and exercise?” he went on. “I’ve been told that for a long time, but I’m taking that seriously for the first time I probably have in my life.”
Earlier that season, Self was absent for four games due to a suspension for self-imposed sanctions by the Kansas basketball program in the wake of an FBI probe into a collegiate basketball corruption affair involving eight institutions.
In both cases, Norm Roberts, a longtime assistant, took Self’s place as interim head coach. Roberts, however, stepped down after the 2024-25 season. As of yet, there is no information on who would take Self’s place if his absence were to become prolonged.
Jacque Vaughn, a former Jayhawks star who formerly served as an NBA head coach for the Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets, joined Self’s staff in May. Assistant Joe Dooley has previously held head coaching positions at East Carolina and Florida Gulf Coast. Kurtis Townsend is the senior assistant coach for basketball.
Self has been the coach at Kansas for 22 seasons, beginning with the 2003-04 campaign. He has a 624-156 record, with 16 Big 12 regular-season titles and eight conference tournament crowns. Self has led the Jayhawks to four Final Four appearances and two national championships in the NCAA tournament.
Kansas starts its preseason on October 24 with an exhibition match at Louisville. The Jayhawks will start the regular season on November 3 against the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
