LAWRENCE, Kan. — After Bill Self had his two stents inserted last month, he asked his surgeon if he should be thinking differently about his career.
“Do you love what you do?” the surgeon asked Self.
“Yeah,” Self responded.
“Well, keep doing it.”
Self, entering his 23rd season as Kansas coach, met with media Friday for the first time since his hospitalization July 24 when, according to the university, Self “felt unwell and experienced some concerning symptoms.” Self, who was released from the hospital on July 26, said Friday he would be able to coach a game tomorrow if Kansas played.
That’s different than when Self missed the Big 12 and NCAA Tournaments in March 2023 after undergoing a procedure when he had a standard heart catheterization and two stents placed for the treatment of blocked arteries.
“Because of some complications I had, they didn’t want me doing anything for a while,” Self said of his previous surgery. “From that standpoint, I feel like I’m much further along.”
Self, 62, said he has made some “lifestyle and life choices” changes, but otherwise seems back to normal. He played golf Friday morning and, barring any further complications, will be there coaching when Kansas opens the season Nov. 3 against Green Bay.
Self, who became the winningest coach in KU history last year, has led the Jayhawks to the NCAA Tournament in every year it has been held during his tenure. Last year, Kansas lost in the first round for the first time since 2006.
Self said earlier this offseason that this spring offered a chance to take a different approach to the transfer portal, and the Jayhawks — led by top-ranked recruit Darryn Peterson — enter the year as a preseason top-15 team.
(Photo: Jamie Squire / Getty Images)
