There has been plenty of talk this offseason about Kansas basketball’s revamped roster, but nothing is more important than the conversation surrounding Bill Self’s health.
The Hall of Fame head coach was admitted to Lawrence Memorial Hospital last month for a minor surgery where he had two stents inserted in his heart.
While the news left many fans wondering whether he would be able to return to the sidelines, Self put those concerns aside with an exclusive quote released by Jeff Goodman and the Field of 68 podcast.
“I don’t have any restrictions coaching,” Self confirmed.
Goodman’s tweet added that doctors have cleared him to return to normal activities and that he is already back in the office and on the course to play golf. It goes without saying that this is incredible news for the college basketball world.
The university sent out a press release when Self was discharged from the hospital last month.
“I want to thank all the amazing doctors and nurses at LMH Health for the excellent care I received during my stay there,” Self wrote in the press release. “I feel strong and am excited to be home. Our team has had a productive summer and look forward to our batteries being recharged and prepping for this upcoming season.”
Unease about Self’s long-term health first emerged during the 2022-23 season when he missed the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments due to a separate heart-related procedure.
He was reportedly experiencing ‘chest tightness and balance problems’ at that time, which led him to undergo a heart catheterization.
Although he returned the following year without issue, any report involving his health naturally draws the attention of fans and the national media. The fact that it has now happened twice in just over two years does not make it any better.
Since then, the Jayhawks have struggled in two consecutive seasons, opening the past couple of preseasons ranked No. 1 nationally just to bow out of March Madness in the first weekend.
Self made arguably the biggest recruiting move of his extensive KU career when he landed projected No. 1 NBA Draft pick Darryn Peterson out of Prolific Prep. Now, he and the Jayhawks enter the 2025-26 campaign with high hopes.
The roster is headlined by Peterson and returning big man Flory Bidunga, who also has pro potential. Other offseason additions include transfer Tre White (Illinois), Jayden Dawson (Loyola-Chicago), and Melvin Council Jr. (St. Bonaventure) along with incoming freshmen Paul Mbiya, Kohl Rosario, and Samis Calderon.
Self has stated on multiple occasions that he has no plans to step away from coaching anytime soon, and this most recent update appears to confirm that he remains committed to leading the Jayhawks for years to come.
Just got off the phone with Kansas coach Bill Self after his health scare a couple weeks ago in which he underwent a heart catheterization and had two stents placed for blocked arteries:
Self said he received a clean bill of health from the doctors, has been back in the office…
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) August 8, 2025