Kansas head basketball coach Bill Self was hospitalized this past week. It was the second time in the past six months Self has been taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital. The University of Kansas and their athletic department were being very hush, hush about this incident, but Self opened up on his weekly appearance on the “Hawk Talk” radio program.
Self let the audience know he started feeling “some very abnormal chest issues”, which was concerning considering his past heart health issues. It ended up being a hydration issue that caused his AFib (atrial fibrillation) to act up. Self said he could have coached at Colorado, but with the elevation and taking a flight, the steps were made to be extra cautious in this instance.
Self had stents inserted into his heart during a procedure in 2023 after his first episode with chest pains and then he had more stents inserted this past summer in 2025. This issue isn’t going away and Kansas seems to have a succession plan in place.
Jacque Vaughn is Well Positioned at KU
Assistant coach and former Kansas point guard, Jacque Vaughn, took over as interim head coach in Self’s absence for Tuesday night’s game at Colorado. After the Jayhawks picked up a 75-69 over the Buffaloes, Vaughn’s collegiate coaching record is now 1-0. It seems logical that if Self did decide to hang it up after this season, Vaughn would be the guy to take over the program. Despite not having a ton of collegiate coaching experience, Vaughn does have extensive head coaching experience at the NBA level.
Vaughn coached 365 games in the NBA between stints with the Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets. He led the Nets to two playoff appearances in his time with the franchise. At Kansas, he would be able to have the opportunity to build his own path and create new success at the collegiate level.
Being a former Kansas basketball player, and a former NBA player and coach, could give him insight that may give him an edge in recruiting. With the way the transfer portal is set up these days, having a guy who knows how to work free agency and lean into personal connections at the highest level would certainly help Vaughn along the way.
Look no further than the current roster and a player like Darryn Peterson. Vaughn is likely to attract top prospects to Kansas, knowing what it takes to get these players to where they want to go at the next level. In this last game at Colorado, Peterson hurt his ankle but pushed through the injury and played to the end of the game for the Jayhawks, something he has not been able to do much of this season. Was it Vaughn’s coaching that pushed Peterson to tough it out? We may never know, but it certainly shows the players are willing to do whatever it takes to get it done with Vaughn at the helm.
Should Bill Self’s Time End?
With a plan seemingly in place, it is time. Coach Self: Ride out the rest of the season with this team that seems to be gelling more and more with each passing game. See how far you can take them. Whenever the ride of this season comes to an end, it’s time to make your exit. I know that’s only a decision you will make in consultation with your family, but there’s nothing left to prove. You are a National Championship winning coach. You are a College Basketball Hall of Fame coach. You are the winningest coach at one of the top programs in the history of college basketball.
After the season, it’s time to give the keys to coach Vaughn. Get out of the game before another health scare forces you out. Do it on your own terms. Just let everyone know now so Kansas fans can give you the proper farewell you deserve.
Self will return to coach the team on Saturday in the Sunflower Showdown. The Jayhawks will travel to Manhattan, Kansas to take on the Kansas State Wildcats with a 7:00 tip off on Fox. We’ll see how Self looks on the sideline after missing a game. It will likely look like he hasn’t missed a beat. We’ll see how the players respond as well, coming off a nice road in over Colorado. Getting a win in the Little Apple would continue the positive vibes going into a big matchup the following Saturday, January 31st, for Kansas as they host a top 15 BYU team.
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