University of Kansas

Bill Self, Warren Jabali nominated for Naismith Hall of Fame

Warren Jabali, who played at Wichita State as Warren Armstrong, left WSU and became a star in the ABA.
Warren Jabali, who played at Wichita State as Warren Armstrong, left WSU and became a star in the ABA. The Wichita Eagle

Kansas basketball coach Bill Self is on the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame ballot for the first time.

Also nominated from the veterans committee is Warren Jabali, a Wichita State star in the 1960s who was also an ABA standout. He played under the name Warren Armstrong at WSU.

The Hall of Fame announced eligible candidates for the Class of 2017 on Wednesday, which also marked the 125th anniversary of the game’s invention by James Naismith, who spent the final 40 years of his life working at the University of Kansas.

A news conference announcing the finalists will be held on Feb. 18, during the NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans. The class will be announced at the Final Four in Glendale, Ariz., on April 3.

Self was among 45 coaches and players listed as North American Committee nominations.

Among other nominees with regional ties include former Purdue coach Gene Keady from Larned,former Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton from Bucklin, and Cotton Fitzsimmons, who coached at Kansas State.

Self is 602-189 in 24 seasons, including 395-84 in 14 seasons at Kansas. His 2008 team won the NCAA championship and 2012 team finished runner-up.

His Kansas teams have won 12 straight Big 12 championships.

This story was originally published December 21, 2016 at 5:00 PM with the headline "Bill Self, Warren Jabali nominated for Naismith Hall of Fame."

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