Bill Self signs amended, rolling five-year contract that makes him the highest-paid coach in college basketball
Bill Self and the University of Kansas are in this for the long haul.
On Tuesday, the school announced that Self had signed an amended contract that makes him the highest-paid coach in men's college basketball.
The contract is a rolling, five-year deal that will pay approximately $53 million over the term. Kentucky's John Calipari, who is signed for 10 years and $86 million in 2019, is the next closest contract. Self already had a lifetime contract with the school that began in 2021.
“I am very appreciative to Chancellor [Douglas} Girod, Travis Goff and the entire KU leadership team for their continued belief and confidence in me and my staff to lead this storied program,” Self said in the announcement. “I know the Chancellor and Travis are as excited as I am about the future of Kansas Basketball. There has never been a better time to be a part of our athletic department and this program. My family and I are so proud to be at this university, and I am looking forward to many more seasons representing the most passionate fan base in the country.
“There’s no place like Kansas.”
Self’s reworked contract comes less than a month after both he and the school dodged serious penalties from the NCAA’s multi-year investigation into the program.
The NCAA downgraded the case against Kansas and gave the program a three-year probation while also forcing the school to vacate wins from the 2017-18 season. Self did not receive any direct sanctions from the NCAA after previously serving a self-imposed four-game suspension at the start of the 2022-23 season.
The light punishment against the school came after a contentious back-and-forth between Kansas and the NCAA. The governing body had initially levied a lack of institutional control charge and a head coach responsibility charge against Self.
Self, a 2017 Naismith Hall of Fame member, led Kansas to a national championship in 2022. It was his second title (2008) and fourth Final Four trip (2012, 2018) since taking over the Jayhawks program in 2003.
In 20 years at the helm in Lawrence, Kansas, Self has a 787-237 record, 20 conference championships (including 13 consecutive) and been named an AP College Coach of the Year twice (2009 and 2016). Kansas overtook Kentucky as the winningest program in men's college basketball during Self's tenure, but Kentucky now officially has that title again after Kansas was forced to vacate the wins from its Final Four season in 2017-18.
That success during the season has paid off tremendously for Kansas come tournament time. For half of Self's tenure, the Jayhawks have been a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Kansas has been a top-four seed or higher in each season Self has coached.
“For more than 20 years, Coach Self has embodied the spirit and tradition of the University of Kansas, leading our men’s basketball program to unprecedented success on the court while also enhancing our entire institution,” Girod said. “We feel he’s the best coach in the country and he cares deeply about this place. We are thrilled that he will be a Jayhawk for the rest of his career.”
