Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self is set to return to the sideline for the 2026-27 season, he announced Wednesday.
Self said in a statement that he remains “focused and committed to Kansas” and “competing for a National Championship.”
His announcement comes more than a week after Self said he’d discuss his coaching future with his family after dealing with multiple health-related issues in recent years.
The decision came “with renewed clarity and the ongoing support from our administration,” Self said in his statement.
He added: “I look forward to seeing and hearing the best fan in college basketball next season at Allen Fieldhouse.”
Self’s announcement will send a collective exhale around Lawrence, where the Hall of Fame coach has won two national championships and reached four Final Fours since arriving in 2003.
His return is significant for the sport, as he’s one of the country’s most noted coaches. He has won 855 games as a head coach over a 33-year career spanning Oral Roberts, Tulsa, Illinois and Kansas.
Self, 63, spent significant time this week discussing his health and future with people close to him before arriving at a decision. He missed a game at Colorado in January when he was taken to the hospital out of an “abundance of caution” due to being under the weather, the school said at the time.
In 2023, he missed the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments after being hospitalized because of chest tightness and balance concerns. He underwent a heart catheterization and had two stents placed for the treatment of blocked arteries.
Last July, Self was admitted to a hospital after feeling unwell and experiencing “some concerning symptoms,” according to the school. He underwent another procedure to have two stents inserted and was released two days later.
Partially due to those health issues, Self said after Kansas’ season-ending loss to St. John’s in the NCAA tournament that he hadn’t decided whether he would return next season.
“I’ll get back and visit with family,” he said at the time. “I’ve had, obviously, some issues off the court health-wise. And that will be discussed. But I love what I do. I want to feel good while I’m doing it, though.”
Self’s decision to return comes just days before college basketball programs are getting ready to set their rosters for the 2026-27 season. The NCAA transfer portal opens on April 7, the day after the men’s national championship game.
Information from ESPN’s Jeff Borzello was included in this report.
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