Joining elite company, Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self has been chosen for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
A first-ballot inductee, Self began his coaching career as an graduate assistant at Kansas in 1985-86 under Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown. He then returned to his alma mater, Oklahoma State, as an assistant coach from 1987-94 under head coaches Leonard Hamilton and Eddie Sutton. Born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, and raised in Edmond, Oklahoma, Self was a guard at OSU from 1982-85. His first head coaching position was at Oral Roberts from 1994-97, then Tulsa (1996-2000), Illinois (2001-03) and Kansas (2004-present).
Self becomes the 20th person associated with Kansas basketball to be inducted, the last being coaching legend John McClendon, who was inducted last year for a second time.
“I actually thought about it a little bit because I knew I was a finalist but I never thought it would come to be,” Self said referring to the call he received on when he was informed he would be inducted. “Even though I was expecting a call to tell me one way or the other, it totally caught me off guard. I’m very honored and very humbled because I know there are so many people out there that this game has been their life to them or they have based their entire life promoting and having great success at the game. I feel humbled that I was remotely considered in that group.”
“When the first basketball coach in your university’s history was also the inventor of the game, expectations are high,” said KU Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little. “Coach Self has met – and I would say exceeded – all expectations since arriving at KU and has confirmed his status among the great coaches in college basketball. On behalf of the University of Kansas and Jayhawks everywhere, I want to congratulate Coach Self on his selection to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, and I want to thank him for all he has done to continue KU’s remarkable basketball tradition.”
“Bill has earned this honor,” said KU Athletics Director Sheahon Zenger, “with his passion, his ability to teach, develop and adapt, and his consistency of excellence at the highest level over a long period of time. He has indelibly made his mark as a wonderful steward of the great tradition of Kansas Basketball.”
Induction ceremonies will take place in September at the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee Bill Self
Overall record (24 seasons): 623-193 (.763)
Oral Roberts (1994-97): 55-54 (.505)
Tulsa (1998-2000): 74-27 (.733)
Illinois (2001-03): 78-24 (.764)
Kansas (2004-17): 416-88 (.825)
TROPHY CASE
• NCAA Championship title (2008)
• NCAA Final Four (2008, 2012)
• 17 Regular-Season Conference Titles: 2 at Tulsa (1999, 2000); 2 at Illinois (2001, 2002); 12 at Kansas (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)
• 8 Conference Tournament Titles: 1 at Illinois (2003); 7 at Kansas (2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016)
CAREER HONORS
• Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2017 inductee
• Four-time National Coach of the Year – 2000 (Sporting News; Wooden), 2009 (Yahoo! Sports; Sporting News; Athlon Sports; CBSSports.com; USBWA; AP; CBS/Chevrolet; ESPN.com), 2012 (Sporting News; Adolph Rupp; Naismith), 2016 (AP, Bleacher Report, USA TODAY)
• Eight-time Conference Coach of the Year – 2000 (WAC), 2006 (Big 12), 2009 (Big 12), 2011 (Big 12), 2012 (co-Big 12), 2015 (Big 12 by AP), 2016 (Big 12 by AP), 2017 (Big 12)
• Wooden Award “Legends of Coaching” – 2013
• Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame – 2013 induction
• Wayman Tisdale Humanitarian Award (USBWA) – 2014
• Mannie Jackson – Basketball’s Human Spirit Award (Naismith Hall of Fame) – 2015
• Winged Foot Award (for national champion coach) – 2008
• Naismith Coach of the Year Finalist (Atlanta Tipoff Club) – 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2012, 2017
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
• Ninth fastest coach to reach 600 wins in NCAA Division I.
• 13-straight conference titles from 2005-17 ties NCAA Division I record. Self is the only coach to have won 13 straight.
• All-time winningest coach in Allen Fieldhouse history (220-10).
• Has more Big 12 titles (13) than home losses in Allen Fieldhouse (10).
• Nine, 30-win seasons, which ranks third all-time in NCAA Division I.
• Has coached five Consensus All-America First Team selections, including 2017 National Player of the Year Frank Mason III.
• Has coached five league player of the year honorees and 61 all-conference performers.
• At Kansas, has coached 34 Academic All-Big 12 selections.
• Has had 17 players drafted in the NBA First Round.
