Self nominated for Naismith Hall of Fame
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Kansas men’s basketball head coach Bill Self is a first-time nominee for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the ‘Hoop Hall’ announced Wednesday – the 125th Birthday of Basketball.
“I consider this an honor to be nominated,” Self said after hearing the news. “I certainly didn’t expect this. I’m proud, mainly because of the teams’ successes we’ve had in the various stops that put me in a position to be considered.”
A press conference announcing the finalists for the Class of 2017 will be held at NBA All-Star Weekend, which is scheduled for Saturday, February 18th in New Orleans, Louisiana. The entire Class of 2017, including those selected by the direct elect committees, will be unveiled on Monday, April 3rd at the NCAA Final Four in Glendale, Arizona.
In 24 seasons as a head coach, Self has posted a 602-189 record. Earlier this season, he won his 600th game on Dec. 6, 2016, becoming the ninth-fastest coach in NCAA Division I history to reach 600 victories. He is 395-84 in his 14th season at Kansas and his 82.5 winning percentage with the Jayhawks ranks first among the eight KU coaches in the tradition-rich program.
A four-time national coach of the year, Self has guided his teams to 16 of a possible 19 regular-season conference titles, finishing second in two of those non-title seasons and third in the other. Included is Kansas’ current string of 12-straight Big 12 titles, beginning in the 2004-05 season, which ranks second on the NCAA consecutive conference title list. KU’s run is one behind record holder UCLA’s 13 straight from 1967-79, which was under two coaches. Also in his career, Self’s teams have also won eight league tournament titles, including seven at Kansas.
Self, who has guided his teams to 18-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, has led his squads to two Finals Fours, winning the 2008 title while at Kansas in the only Final Four that all four No. 1 seeds reached the elite event. Eleven times his teams have advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 with eight appearances in the Elite Eight.
A six-time conference coach of the year, Self has posted eight 30-win seasons, which ties for third in NCAA history. KU’s four-straight 30-win seasons from 2009-10 to 2012-13 are the most consecutive 30-win seasons in NCAA history.
At Kansas, Self has won more conference titles (12) than lost home games (9) as he is 212-9 (95.9 percent) inside historic Allen Fieldhouse. While at KU, Self has coached 57 all-conference performers and 31 Academic All-Big 12 honorees, which is more than any other league school.
ABOUT THE NAISMITH MEMORIAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was invented, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level – professional, collegiate and high school, for both men and women on the global stage. Visit HoopHall.com for more information.
