Journal-World File PhotoAbout 100 University of Illinois basketball fans wore “I Love My Self” T-shirts to the Illini men’s basketball banquet Tuesday night at the Holiday Inn hotel in Urbana, Ill.
Those fans, worried that third-year U of I coach Bill Self soon will be named Roy Williams’ replacement at Kansas, were mortified upon hearing the coach’s closing words at the function, attended by about 1,000 supporters.
“This is a great, great program,” Self said after handing out several team awards. “I don’t know what the future holds, but I’m excited to be your coach.”
Self is gaining mention, along with Marquette coach Tom Crean and Notre Dame coach Mike Brey, as front-runners in the derby to replace Williams.
Drue Jennings, KU’s interim athletic director, wouldn’t identify any candidates during a news conference Tuesday. But he promised the search, though extensive, would not be drawn out.
“I cannot give you a time frame, but hopefully this will take days not weeks,” Jennings said. “We have had contacts already, and we will sort through those.”
Self’s uncertain future may or may not involve contract talks with KU.
“I have not been contacted (by KU). That’s the honest truth,” said the 40-year-old Oklahoma State graduate, who served as a graduate assistant at KU under Larry Brown during the 1984-85 season.
Self said he would not be surprised if KU officials do call him.
“I don’t know about ‘definitely,’ but because of my relationships with people around their program over the years, I would say ‘probably,'” Self said of the odds he’d be contacted. “But nobody in the know has told me that I’m a candidate. I don’t know what I’d tell them” if KU calls.
KU may have a hard time reaching Self in coming days.
He’s headed to Florida with family members today through Saturday on vacation.
“If something’s going on and I’m on vacation, then obviously that means that Bill’s not involved in what’s going on,” Self said.
He acknowledged the possibility he might not be contacted.
“I wouldn’t be disappointed if I wasn’t (contacted),” Self said. “Every place has their own method of madness concerning these situations, so nothing would surprise me.”
Illinois definitely wants to keep its coach. The Illini administration rewarded Self in December with a contract extension that will pay him $5 million if he stays all five years.
“There is a ton of incentive to stay,” Self said. “My family’s happy, I’m happy and we’re going to be good (next year).”
Self isn’t the only early candidate to be mentioned as a possibility at KU.
Crean, who led Marquette to the Final Four for the first time since the program’s heydays under Al McGuire, and Brey, who coached Notre Dame to its first-ever back-to-back 20-win seasons, are mentioned in most every discussion about finding Roy Williams’ replacement.
Gonzaga’s Mark Few, 40, could be on KU’s short list. He is 105-29 the past four seasons at the Washington school.
“Nobody from Kansas has called Gonzaga except the media,” Gonzaga sports information director Oliver Pierce said. “My athletic director is always up-front if we are contacted, but nobody has called.”
Wichita State’s Mark Turgeon also is a possibility.
Sources say Philadelphia 76ers coach Larry Brown, head coach at KU from 1984-88, would be interested if KU came calling.
“I just talked to coach Brown,” said Kansas City Knights coach/general manager Kevin Pritchard, who played for both Brown and Williams at KU. “He told me he was interested in getting back into college coaching. He’s done the NBA thing. It’s a different monster from college.”
It would be highly unlikely KU would be interested in Brown; KU was placed on probation for violations committed in the Brown era.
Ex-Jayhawk Pritchard isn’t a head coaching candidate, but he makes it clear he’d love to return to the Jayhawk bench as an assistant. He’s good buddies with Illinois’ Self and WSU’s Turgeon.
“Bill would be an excellent choice,” Pritchard said. “He’s proven at a very high level. He can recruit, is good in the community. He has all the qualities, but there are multiple people we could look at. Mark is an unbelievable coach and will only get better. He is a talented leader,” Pritchard added.
“I would love to come back and be an assistant. I have a great passion to do that. I’d do it in a heartbeat. I love Kansas basketball. I want to help this university. It means so much to me to have a good program I’m proud of.”
Pritchard desperately hopes KU hires somebody with KU ties.
“I know this … North Carolina people take care of North Carolina people. If we don’t start creating that atmosphere at Kansas, it’d be a huge mistake,” Pritchard said. “We are a fraternity, one I feel lucky to be part of.”
Williams has said he would love for 10-year assistant Joe Holladay to be considered.
“I think Joe Holladay has worked so hard for the program,” KU assistant Ben Miller said. “He has had the longest tenure of any of Coach’s assistants. Coach Williams has taken this program to a new level, on and off the court. Nobody knows the system better than Joe Holladay. Nobody has worked harder or longer. Nobody could have a better relationship with our players and incoming players. I think for the purposes of continuity, keep this train rollin’. I think Joe Holladay deserves serious consideration.”
Journal-World File PhotoAbout 100 University of Illinois basketball fans wore “I Love My Self” T-shirts to the Illini men’s basketball banquet Tuesday night at the Holiday Inn hotel in Urbana, Ill.
Those fans, worried that third-year U of I coach Bill Self soon will be named Roy Williams’ replacement at Kansas, were mortified upon hearing the coach’s closing words at the function, attended by about 1,000 supporters.
“This is a great, great program,” Self said after handing out several team awards. “I don’t know what the future holds, but I’m excited to be your coach.”
Self is gaining mention, along with Marquette coach Tom Crean and Notre Dame coach Mike Brey, as front-runners in the derby to replace Williams.
Drue Jennings, KU’s interim athletic director, wouldn’t identify any candidates during a news conference Tuesday. But he promised the search, though extensive, would not be drawn out.
“I cannot give you a time frame, but hopefully this will take days not weeks,” Jennings said. “We have had contacts already, and we will sort through those.”
Self’s uncertain future may or may not involve contract talks with KU.
“I have not been contacted (by KU). That’s the honest truth,” said the 40-year-old Oklahoma State graduate, who served as a graduate assistant at KU under Larry Brown during the 1984-85 season.
Self said he would not be surprised if KU officials do call him.
“I don’t know about ‘definitely,’ but because of my relationships with people around their program over the years, I would say ‘probably,'” Self said of the odds he’d be contacted. “But nobody in the know has told me that I’m a candidate. I don’t know what I’d tell them” if KU calls.
KU may have a hard time reaching Self in coming days.
He’s headed to Florida with family members today through Saturday on vacation.
“If something’s going on and I’m on vacation, then obviously that means that Bill’s not involved in what’s going on,” Self said.
He acknowledged the possibility he might not be contacted.
“I wouldn’t be disappointed if I wasn’t (contacted),” Self said. “Every place has their own method of madness concerning these situations, so nothing would surprise me.”
Illinois definitely wants to keep its coach. The Illini administration rewarded Self in December with a contract extension that will pay him $5 million if he stays all five years.
“There is a ton of incentive to stay,” Self said. “My family’s happy, I’m happy and we’re going to be good (next year).”
Self isn’t the only early candidate to be mentioned as a possibility at KU.
Crean, who led Marquette to the Final Four for the first time since the program’s heydays under Al McGuire, and Brey, who coached Notre Dame to its first-ever back-to-back 20-win seasons, are mentioned in most every discussion about finding Roy Williams’ replacement.
Gonzaga’s Mark Few, 40, could be on KU’s short list. He is 105-29 the past four seasons at the Washington school.
“Nobody from Kansas has called Gonzaga except the media,” Gonzaga sports information director Oliver Pierce said. “My athletic director is always up-front if we are contacted, but nobody has called.”
Wichita State’s Mark Turgeon also is a possibility.
Sources say Philadelphia 76ers coach Larry Brown, head coach at KU from 1984-88, would be interested if KU came calling.
“I just talked to coach Brown,” said Kansas City Knights coach/general manager Kevin Pritchard, who played for both Brown and Williams at KU. “He told me he was interested in getting back into college coaching. He’s done the NBA thing. It’s a different monster from college.”
It would be highly unlikely KU would be interested in Brown; KU was placed on probation for violations committed in the Brown era.
Ex-Jayhawk Pritchard isn’t a head coaching candidate, but he makes it clear he’d love to return to the Jayhawk bench as an assistant. He’s good buddies with Illinois’ Self and WSU’s Turgeon.
“Bill would be an excellent choice,” Pritchard said. “He’s proven at a very high level. He can recruit, is good in the community. He has all the qualities, but there are multiple people we could look at. Mark is an unbelievable coach and will only get better. He is a talented leader,” Pritchard added.
“I would love to come back and be an assistant. I have a great passion to do that. I’d do it in a heartbeat. I love Kansas basketball. I want to help this university. It means so much to me to have a good program I’m proud of.”
Pritchard desperately hopes KU hires somebody with KU ties.
“I know this … North Carolina people take care of North Carolina people. If we don’t start creating that atmosphere at Kansas, it’d be a huge mistake,” Pritchard said. “We are a fraternity, one I feel lucky to be part of.”
Williams has said he would love for 10-year assistant Joe Holladay to be considered.
“I think Joe Holladay has worked so hard for the program,” KU assistant Ben Miller said. “He has had the longest tenure of any of Coach’s assistants. Coach Williams has taken this program to a new level, on and off the court. Nobody knows the system better than Joe Holladay. Nobody has worked harder or longer. Nobody could have a better relationship with our players and incoming players. I think for the purposes of continuity, keep this train rollin’. I think Joe Holladay deserves serious consideration.”
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