How talented a college basketball player was new Kansas University men’s coach Bill Self?
“I was one of those heady guys who took charges,” Self said Monday. “I asked (Keith) Langford what that means, and he said, ‘That’s a guy who can’t play.'”
Self-deprecating humor aside, Self probably was a better coach on the floor than he was a player. He averaged just 5.4 points a game during his four-year career at Oklahoma State (1982-85), but his on-court knowledge amazed his teammates.
“When we played a Big Eight team, Bill would know the opponent’s offense better than their players did,” said Win Case, who teamed with Self in OSU’s backcourt for a couple of years.
“They would come down the floor and call a play, and Bill would tell us what it was, and which way they were going. That was really special, especially at that age.”
Some of Self’s knowledge of what the other team was doing may have helped the Cowboys when they played Kansas during those years.
Self logged time in 10 games against the Jayhawks, and the ‘Pokes won half of them.
In games against Kansas during those four years, Self averaged 7.9 points a game, or 2.5 points per game higher than his career average.
Case, now a head coach himself at Oklahoma City University, coincidentally is the father of one of KU’s recruits, guard Jeremy Case.
“I was talking to Jeremy today,” Case said Monday, “and I told him he’ll love playing for coach Self. I told him he’ll love his system.”
Case recalled that Self, while at Oklahoma State, would often visit the office of legendary coach Henry P. Iba when Iba maintained a small office in OSU’s Gallagher Hall after he had retired.
“Bill used to spend a lot of time with Mr. Iba picking his brain,” Case said. “We all knew eventually he would be a coach. I told him all the time, ‘I know what you were put on this earth to do.'”
Case thinks Kansas couldn’t have done any better than to hire his old teammate.
“He’s a perfect fit for Kansas,” Case said. “Not only is he a great coach, he’s a great person. I knew when we were playing together he was destined for greatness.”
