Kansas coach Bill Self has led the No. 25 Jayhawks to a 2-1 record so far this season after a shock loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels last week. The Jayhawks are seeking a bounce-back season after an 11-9 Big 12 conference and 21-13 overall record and being eliminated in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
During the offseason, Self also suffered from a health scare when he was hospitalized and had two stents inserted for blocked arteries in July. In 2023, he also had a health scare when he had chest tightness and balance issues, forcing him to miss both the Big 12 and NCAA Tournaments.
Bill Self’s Health Discussed by Former Assistant
During Thursday’s segment of the Field of 68 podcast, Self’s former assistant, Norm Roberts, detailed how long he thought his former boss could continue coaching after his health scares.
“I would probably guess maybe three to four more years,” Norm Roberts said. “I don’t think he’ll do it much longer than that. But I do know this, because of the scares that he’s had, he is in so much better shape now. He’s lost 35 pounds; he looks great, exercises every day, and eats right. He’s doing really well and has a great energy right now.”
How much longer does Norm Roberts think Bill Self will be coaching?
“I’d guess 3-4 more years. He’s in so much better shape now. He’s lost 35 pounds. He looks great, he’s exercising every day… he’s doing really, really well”
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Roberts was a longtime assistant under Self, coaching under him at Oral Roberts, Tulsa, Illinois, and Kansas, before leaving the Jayhawks after the 2024-2025 season. Roberts stepped in for Self in the Big 12 and NCAA Tournaments when the Kansas coach was hospitalized during the 2023-2024 season.
When Self Addressed Lifestyle Changes After Health Scare
Last month, during a media availability session, Self shared an update on the lifestyle changes he’s had to institute since his health scare in July.
“I feel fine,” Bill Self said. “I feel good. How it changed my view of my future… I would say I’ve had a couple of wake-up calls, but this was probably a bigger knot on my head than even the first one. But, the way that it’s probably changed, as much as anything, is I’ve never been one of healthy habits, so to speak.
“But I’ve gotten a lot better. I haven’t had any fried food or fast food or red meat or yellow cheese or anything in three months, almost. What a way to live, but I actually feel a lot better.”
Self has been under scrutiny for his NCAA Tournament record since he last won the national championship in 2022, leading to speculation about his future at the program. His record in the last three years is 73-32, including only two wins in the NCAA Tournament.
