Day: July 30, 2025

I probably should have included this in my Weekend Notes post, but was also debating how deep to go on the latest health scare for KU coach Bill Self. Without knowing much about what actually happened, I didn’t want to turn it into 3000 words about the future of the program. That’s always a possibility when I start writing about KU hoops, though.

What we know for sure is that Self suffered “concerning symptoms” while playing golf last week, was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Lawrence, and received two stents. I’m no cardiologist but that seems super serious. Also, if you’re in your 60s and had a heart attack two years ago, I’m not sure it’s smart to play golf in the midst of a heat wave. But that’s just me.[1]

We also know Self was released quickly and feeling fine. And apparently had lunch with a recruit who was on campus Monday. Or at least that was the message KU put out.

This was crazy timing as the same afternoon of this latest cardiac event, I was watching his recent interview with Andy Katz. They began with some health talk and Self mentioned that he didn’t really feel right for a year after his 2023 heart attack.[2]

There have been strong rumors around the program for six months or so that Self has privately told people this will be his final year. While he has never addressed this publicly, there has been some pushback from others on this timeline.

My first thought after this latest episode was that if he gets cleared to coach this year, by both his doctors and his wife, this is definitely his last year. And the arrival of Jacque Vaughn both made more sense and seemed super timely. No offense to any of Self’s long time assistants, but if he is told that he can’t coach this year, I’ll take Vaughn over any of them, even if JV has never coached a single college game.

Now, inserting stents is a pretty normal procedure, with recovery measured in days rather than weeks. Had this episode been more serious, I doubt he would have been sent home so quickly.

So, yes, very concerning. But perhaps as life/career altering as it seemed at first. And hopefully this kept something bigger/more serious from happening to Self down the road.

This is just another massive warning light that the Self era is coming to an end soon(-ish). At this point I just hope he is able to go out on his terms rather than because his body, medical team, and/or family tell him he can’t coach another game.

The message board chatter about summer workouts was that Vaughn was taking a strong role in what the team was doing. All rumors here, but his main task was shifting the offense to a slightly more NBA style that allows Darryn Peterson and other athletic wings clear paths to the basket. I want to see this in games, because while the build up may be a little different, Self’s best offenses were always when motion on the perimeter got Jalen Wilson, Ochai Agbaji, Devon Dotson, Josh Jackson, Frank Mason, etc. clear paths to the rim. Based on that I think these changes will be less dramatic than some are suggesting, and perhaps more about personal differences between the current roster and those of the past two years than anything Vaughn has put in.

Another summer rumor is that the team has been working more on full court pressure, leveraging its athletic length to make up for some half court deficiencies. Suggesting that any team will press more in the upcoming season is an evergreen college hoops summer rumor. And then when the team gives up three straight layups in their first team the coaches scrap it. So we’ll see about that one.

To wrap up, it was a pretty dicey day or two for KU fans. Knock on wood Self is now healthy and can devote his full energies to this team, and then make a decision about his future next April with a clear head and relatively clean bill of health.