He’s Still Bill Self

We've Done This Before

As the 2026 college basketball season hits the final stretch, I thought I’d share a few words about KU’s Hall-of-Fame coach, Bill Self. A lot of rambling speculation has been floated around about his future, but there’s something everyone forgets, and I’m here to remind everyone what they always swim past.

He’s still Bill Self.

That’s the part everybody seems to be forgetting. The fans. The callers. The message boards. The national guys filling airtime like they’ve uncovered something new. And now — because we can’t help ourselves — we’ve added a new flavor:

Retirement talk.

Is he done? Is this it? Has he coached his last game? Has the game passed him? Slow down. Better yet — stop.

Kansas fans need to shut up.
The national media needs to shut up.

This is what happens every time there’s a stumble at a place like Kansas. The expectations don’t bend — they snap. And when they snap, they go looking for endings. Not explanations. Not context.
Endings.

So now a tournament loss turns into a referendum. A frustrating season turns into decline. And a coach who says, honestly, he hasn’t decided anything yet suddenly becomes a man walking away. That’s not analysis. That’s projection. Because here’s what hasn’t changed:

This is still Bill Self.