Kansas head coach Bill Self is a legend, but even the legends have to know when to walk away for the benefit of their overall well-being and health.
For Self, it does not sound like the walkaway point is coming anytime soon. This is despite the fact that he missed the entirety of the Big 12 tournament, as well as Kansas’ NCAA Tournament run, because of a health scare that sent him to the emergency room complaining of chest tightness and a loss of balance.
Self hasn’t coached since that day — March 8 — but he recently told the media that he feels better.
“To be honest, I haven’t done a lot since the Big 12 tournament. But I’m exercising almost daily. I don’t know if you guys believe this: They told me that I need to improve my diet and exercise more,” Self said, per ESPN.
“But I feel fine. My energy level is probably back to where it was prior to the episode but not where it’s getting ready to go, I believe. I think sometimes we don’t realize we don’t feel well until we actually feel well and know the difference. And I’m in the process of feeling well again, so I’m excited about that,” he continued.
Though Self is only 60 years old, he has been coaching big-time college basketball since 1993. That’s not known as an easy, stress-free gig. There are also few programs in the country that come with the burden of expectations surrounding Jayhawks basketball.
No one would blame Self for walking away, especially considering his success. He has won two national championships with Kansas (2008 and 2022) and has captured the Big 12 regular season championship 17 times.
Self did tell the media that he was forced to evaluate whether or not he wants to continue coaching, but it sounds like adapting healthy lifestyle choices is a better option for him, rather than giving up the profession he loves.
“I think the last several weeks I’ve been able to reflect on a lot of things. The one thing I can tell you without question: I missed my job. I love my job and I want to do my job for a long time. That’s what is positive,” he said, before later adding, “I think I have to wake up a little bit and maybe do some things from a lifestyle standpoint, a personal habit standpoint, that I’ve been very, very, very inconsistent with my entire adult life.
“And I said that jokingly earlier, can you imagine a doctor telling you to lose weight, eat right and exercise? I’ve been told that a long time,” Self admitted, but I’m taking that serious for the first time I probably have in my life.”
