There was a scenario in which KU coach Bill Self would have missed the 2022 NCAAs
Bill Self never would have led the Kansas Jayhawks to the 2022 NCAA championship had the IARP and NCAA accepted an offer of the coach to sit out the ‘22 postseason.
At Wednesday’s Big 12 Men’s Basketball Media Day at T-Mobile Center, KU’s 21st-year coach confirmed a recent published report that stated he was willing to sit out the ‘22 postseason provided the NCAA would end its multiyear investigation into KU hoops.
“I was at the point I would have done just about anything to get it over with,” Self said Wednesday. “For the protection of our players and for the future ... not knowing the process or trusting the process whatsoever. That was done the week my father passed (away on Jan. 21, 2022). I know my dad told me, ‘Whatever you do, get this behind you.’ There were some things going on that probably influenced it.”
That 2022 squad defeated Villanova and North Carolina at the Final Four for the NCAA crown.
“I’ll be honest with you, we had a good team (34-6). I didn’t think we were that good. Kentucky just beat us by 20 at home,” Self said. “It would have been bad for the present players obviously and looking back now it would have been a disaster, but that was the only reason why — no admission of guilt, just trying to move it forward because of the stress and everything that went into it.”
Self said assistant coach Norm Roberts likely would have coached the Jayhawks in the 2022 tourney had the NCAA/IARP accepted his offer to sit the postseason.
Self said now that the NCAA decision is behind KU “it’s time to go for the throat absolutely (in both recruiting and on the court). There’s an opportunity now to go for it back where it was prior to when all this went down.”
He said “there is no excitement, but relief,” in the NCAA case being decided last week after six long years of waiting for a ruling.
Self also discussed his health at media day.
He missed the 2023 postseason after undergoing a heart procedure at the start of the Big 12 tourney.
“I never thought it was a situation it could go in a really bad direction,” Self said asked of his state of mind entering surgery last spring. “I also didn’t know I didn’t feel bad until I started feeling better. It was a wake-up call. It’s probably best for me it happened. Obviously at the time it (stunk). I feel better now and certainly realize now I really enjoy what I do, maybe even more so if I hadn’t gone through that.”
Self with a smile added, “I certainly anticipate being here this year,” referring to T-Mobile Center, site of the Big 12 tourney.
He said he won’t necessarily “take things slower” this season.
“If you take things slower,” Self said, “I think you probably shouldn’t be doing it (coaching). If you have to adjust to do your job ... because if you take things slower it sounds like you are not doing your job as well or backing off. I should not spend any time on crap that doesn’t have anything to do with me doing my job. That by definition means taking it slower.”
This story was originally published October 18, 2023 at 6:26 PM with the headline "There was a scenario in which KU coach Bill Self would have missed the 2022 NCAAs."
