THE APEX TIMES
Bill Self Says He Thought Kansas Basketball Might Be Over This Season, Then Chose to Stay
After St. John’s ended Kansas’ NCAA Tournament run, the Jayhawks’ longtime head coach acknowledged he briefly considered retirement, but said he ultimately expects to remain in Lawrence for the 2026-27 season.
Kansas head coach Bill Self said there was a stretch this year when he thought he might have coached his final game, an admission that underlined how closely the program’s recent uncertainty has been watched. The comments came after the Jayhawks were eliminated by St. John’s in the NCAA Tournament, a loss that intensified questions about what comes next for Kansas and for Self.
Self, a Hall of Fame coach known for rebuilding and sustaining winning teams, described the retirement-thought period as something that rose in the aftermath of the season’s end. In the conversation, he referenced the feeling that “probably” it was time to go, before explaining that he ultimately decided to remain with the Jayhawks for at least another season, pointing to 2026-27 as the next step.
The decision matters to Kansas supporters because the Jayhawks have been struggling by the standard set during Self’s tenure. Kansas has not been immune from broader college basketball turbulence, but Self’s admission reframed the current moment from purely basketball performance to the human calculus that can follow a high-pressure postseason exit.
The coach’s remarks were made in a public setting on CBS Sports’ “Inside College Basketball Now” alongside analyst Jon Rothstein. In that discussion, Self addressed the period when fans believed his coaching career with Kansas might be approaching a close, with the anxiety sharpened by the backdrop of his recent health concerns.
Self’s willingness to acknowledge those thoughts does not change what has to happen on the court next. The Jayhawks still need to return to the kind of consistency that once made them a predictable Big 12 and national title contender, especially given how quickly the college basketball landscape moves between recruiting cycles, transfer windows, and coaching adjustments.
As Kansas plans for the 2026-27 season, the focus will likely shift to whether the program’s trajectory can align with Self’s continued presence. The simplest interpretation of his comments is that, for now, he remains committed to the long arc of rebuilding within the Kansas standard. The harder question is whether the results will catch up soon enough to end the larger conversation about Kansas’ direction that has lingered across this cycle.
Why It Matters
- A confirmed return for 2026-27 helps stabilize Kansas’ coaching picture at a time when college basketball programs can change direction quickly.
- Self’s admission ties the program’s postseason outcome to broader leadership and health considerations, deepening the stakes of the next recruiting and roster-building cycle.
- Kansas’ on-court performance has been under scrutiny by the standards of Self’s tenure, and the program’s ability to reset will shape how long the current period of uncertainty lasts.
Sources
Key Facts
- Bill Self said he considered retiring and believed it might be his final game during the season.
- Kansas was eliminated by St. John’s in the NCAA Tournament, which Self discussed in connection with his decision-making.
- Self ultimately said he decided to stay with Kansas for at least one more season, pointing to 2026-27.
- Self made the remarks on CBS Sports’ “Inside College Basketball Now” with Jon Rothstein.
- The discussion referenced that some Kansas fans believed he could be nearing retirement amid recent health concerns.