Kansas must navigate the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City without coach Bill Self.
The university said in a statement Self, 60, would miss the conference tournament that ends Saturday night while recovering from a “standard procedure.”
KU said media reports that Self suffered a heart attack are inaccurate.
“KU men’s basketball coach Bill Self is a patient at The University of Kansas Health System. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Steve Stites wants to clarify that Coach Self did not suffer a heart attack as reported by some media,” the statement read. “He arrived at the emergency department late (Wednesday) night and underwent a standard procedure that went well. He is expected to make a full recovery. There will be no further medical details released for now.”
The university added a statement from Self: “I am very grateful for the overwhelming number of well wishes my family and I have received. I’m excited to get back with my team in the very near future.”
Kansas (26-6) entered the 2023 Big 12 Championship as the No. 1 seed and knocked off No. 8 seed West Virginia (19-14) on Thursday afternoon. The Jayhawks, who are ranked third in the AP Top 25 poll, won the Big 12 regular-season title with a 13-5 conference record.
Assistant coach Norm Roberts ran the team with Self hospitalized.
Roberts said Self is “doing well” and the entire coaching staff has stressed “next man up” every day this season.
“The message is the same,” Roberts said.
Roberts ran the show from the sideline to begin the season in November with Self serving a four-game suspension.
The Jayhawks went 4-0, including a neutral court win over Duke in Indianapolis.
–Field Level Media
