After 37 years of coaching collegiate basketball, including 14 years with the Jayhawks, Kansas assistant coach Norm Roberts announced his retirement from the game.
Following the announcement of his retirement, Roberts shared a special message with the players and fans of Jayhawk Nation.
"Well, first and foremost, I want to thank everybody at the University of Kansas," Roberts said. "I've been fortunate, I've never really had to work a day in my life. Being able to coach at Kansas and be part of this program has been unbelievable."
Roberts went on to list every single person he worked with during his lengthy tenure with the Jayhawks, expressing how grateful he is to have ever entered the world of coaching in the first place.
Roberts made it clear that the Kansas basketball program is special, but he made it clear that it's special because of the people: the fans, the players, the coaches, the staff, and more.
"I'm proud to be a Jayhawk," Roberts said at the end.
During Roberts' decade and a half with Kansas, every year under head coach Bill Self, the Jayhawks accomplished a lot as they stormed through the Big 12 and even won a national title.
Kansas's accomplishments with Norm Roberts
- 7 Big 12 regular season titles
- 3 Big 12 tournament titles
- 5 Sweet 16 appearances
- 4 Elite Eight appearances
- 2022 NCAA National Champions
"This is a bittersweet moment for me because Norm [Roberts] and I have been together since 1995," Self said. "From recruiting to developing players to scouting and his knowledge of the game both on and off the court, Norm has been instrumental in what we have achieved. We won a lot of games together... We've had some unbelievable memories that will last our lifetimes.
Roberts first joined Self's staff at Oral Roberts back in 1995, before following him to Tulsa and then Illinois, eventually landing at Kansas. In other words, the two have been virtually inseparable.
However, now, it's time for Roberts to enjoy his family time and, most likely, watch the Jayhawks from home (or in the stands).