An era could be coming to a close in Lawrence. After the Jayhawks' loss in the Round of 32 on Sunday vs. St. John's, head coach Bill Self alluded to the fact that there is no guarantee that he will return to Kansas next season, citing health as the main factor in his decision.
Self also said that it was a decision he needed to go home and discuss with his family first before letting the powers that be at Kansas know. Well, that time to decide might have just gotten a lot shorter as UNC made the decision to fire Hubert Davis later Tuesday night.
Some may ask why this matters for Kansas? Well, with a premier program like UNC, and the administration already saying they are planning to have an outside hire, a top head coach candidate could now come off the board pretty early.
If Self decides to retire, the Jayhawks don't want to be lagging behind in looking for a coach when some of the best ones are already gone in this carousel.
With reports of UNC looking at candidates outside of the Tar Heels family, Kansas really needs a decision soon from Bill Self. I dislike that it has to be rushed, but that's the reality or Kansas will be playing from behind if he does retire.
— Mark Gunnels (@MarkAGunnels) March 25, 2026
UNC just set off a chain reaction for the entire college basketball world, including Kansas
UNC just made the decision everyone has been waiting for days for, and it ended up being exactly as everyone thought it would be. The Tar Heels parted ways with Hubert Davis after a disasterous first round exit, blowing a major lead late vs. VCU and then dropping the game in overtime.
The Tar Heels have the money to go out and get almost any coach they could possibly want, and if that happens, it will set off a chain reaction in the coaching carousel. Kansas does not want to get behind in trying to get a top-tier coach of their own if Self decides to walk away.
While Self deserves time to make this major decision, some could say he needs to think of Kansas in all of this. Self is a legendary coach who is already in the Hall of Fame and will go down as one of the greatest of all time, but sometimes knowing when to call it done is not an easy thing to do.