This Hall of Fame Big 12 head coach could retire following tournament exit

What can you say about a career like Bill Self's that hasn't already been said to death? A member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame while actively coaching the Kansas Jayhawks. A two-time national champion and a two-time AP Coach of the Year. The man who carried the flame of a basketball blue blood since 2003 has nearly become as synonymous with Kansas basketball as Dr. James Naismith himself.

He's the reason why Kansas dominated the Big 12 Conference on the hardwood for so many years, and he's one of the greatest coaches in the history of the game.

Everyone has to leave their program at some point, but Self's departure is almost unthinkable. The college basketball mind could not comprehend KU without, well, BS. There's got to be a better way to say that.

As unbelievable as it may be, Self might be on his way out the door in Lawrence.

"I'll get back and get with family, visit and see what's going on," Self said following the Jayhawks' second-round loss to St John's in the NCAA Tournament. "I love what I do, [but] I need to be able to do it where I'm feeling good and healthy to do it fairly well."

Self was hospitalized earlier in the 2025-26 season with lingering heart problems that he'd been dealing with for years. Self missed the 2023 Big 12 Tournament with chest tightness and dizziness.

Now 63 years of age, the legendary head coach may be forced to choose between his coaching life and his health.

"I'll get back home and it'll all be discussed," Self told the media. "I haven't decided yet."

Should Self decide to call it quits on his career, the coaching carousel would no doubt fire up once again. Kansas is one of the most highly coveted positions in the nation, so a vacuum at the head coaching position could change the landscape of the entire college basketball ecosystem. For the Big 12 and for college basketball as a whole, Bill Self's legacy has been confirmed -- stay or go.