Bill Self: NBA jump “Would be considered”

Bill Self has had himself a good summer. After his Kansas Jayhawks were upset by Trey Burke going off in the Final Four, Self landed one of the most lauded prospects in the country and of the decade in Canadian Andrew Wiggins.

In addition to landing prized recruits and challenging for national championships year after year, Self has also been rewarded handsomely for his service in Lawrence. Last September, Kansas handed Self a restructured contract that extended his stay through the 2021-22 season and included a raise to $3.86 million per year.

Despite earning big dough in the NCAA and running a program that is a lock to compete in the Big 12 every season, Bill Self couldn’t resist the urge to leave the door open on a move to the NBA when asked about the topic by The Oklahoman when Self was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame this weekend.

“It hasn’t really tempted me because I haven’t had that many people talk to me about it,” Self said Monday night, during an evening in which he was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City. “But at some point and time, sure, I think it would.”

“It would be great to be able to match wits with the best athletes in the world, but I’m certainly happy where I’m at.”

“I’m not saying I never would,” Self said of coaching in the NBA. “But I’m locked in.”

Self has won a staggering 84 percent of games in his decade-long tenure in Lawrence, the Jayhawks also took the 2008 national title and were runners-up in 2012 to Kentucky.

Kansas has also dominated the Big 12, winning nine titles since coming to lead the Rock Chalk Nation.

That dominance and the ability to lure can’t miss recruits like Wiggins had Self wisely choosing his words after hinting at the possibility of coaching in the NBA. Self made sure to let everyone know that he is happy at Kansas, as he should be.

“The biggest thing is you will never be happy as a coach unless you know you can attract good players,” Self said, according to The Oklahoman. “I’m fortunate to coach at a place where the product is so good we’re always going to get, at least I hope so, some pretty good players.

“I love it at Kansas, and they love basketball there. I’ve been very fortunate to coach at such a tradition-rich place.”

Self does have a lack of a buyout penalty clause in his contract that allows him to make such moves to the NBA, with Wiggins coming in an almost guaranteeing Self at another Final Four appearance (and the slew of recruiting investigations that will come with it) it might just be a matter of time before we see an NBA team pursuing Self. We now know that he will definitely at least listen when that team calls his phone.