2008 Woodie Awards
Unselfish of Self to stay at KU
Jamie Wianecki
Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: Lifestyle
Congratulations to Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks for winning the National Championship, but now that it's over we need to start talking about next year. When Bill Self was hired by Kansas University after his success at Illinois University, he said coaching at Kansas was his dream job. Now that he's won the National Championship with Kansas, something even Badger-hater Roy Williams didn't do and hasn't happened since 1988; what else does Self have to prove? Nothing, he won the National Championship already. Self has been quoted by ESPN saying he wanted to stay at Kansas to enjoy the fruits of his success; however, he can only enjoy that success for so long.
Next season he could lose Mario Chalmers, Brandon Rush, and Darrell Arthur early to the NBA draft, and he loses seniors Darnell Jackson, Russell Robinson, and Sasha Kaun. Look what happened to last year's champions, the Florida Gators; this season they were in a rebuilding period and didn't even make the tournament. If Bill Self is going to rebuild, why not rebuild his alma mater? It wouldn't be the first time a Kansas coach left the team to coach their alma mater (Roy Williams). Sure Oklahoma State isn't a powerhouse school like North Carolina, or even Kansas. But they are willing to pay top dollar, and they are in a tough Big XII conference; which will still attract top recruits with the right coach. Of the eight Kansas players who played in the championship game against Memphis, none of them were from the state of Kansas. By leaving Kansas, Self won't lose the top prospects from Kansas, because there aren't any. By going to Oklahoma State, Self will be that much closer to Texas (where a lot of top recruits are from, including Darrell Arthur), still recruit in other states, and dominate the state of Oklahoma-especially while Oklahoma University is down. The bottom line, it would have been in Self's best interest to leave Kansas for Oklahoma State now, on top, than leave less marketable in a couple of years when Oklahoma State fires this year's hire.
Next season he could lose Mario Chalmers, Brandon Rush, and Darrell Arthur early to the NBA draft, and he loses seniors Darnell Jackson, Russell Robinson, and Sasha Kaun. Look what happened to last year's champions, the Florida Gators; this season they were in a rebuilding period and didn't even make the tournament. If Bill Self is going to rebuild, why not rebuild his alma mater? It wouldn't be the first time a Kansas coach left the team to coach their alma mater (Roy Williams). Sure Oklahoma State isn't a powerhouse school like North Carolina, or even Kansas. But they are willing to pay top dollar, and they are in a tough Big XII conference; which will still attract top recruits with the right coach. Of the eight Kansas players who played in the championship game against Memphis, none of them were from the state of Kansas. By leaving Kansas, Self won't lose the top prospects from Kansas, because there aren't any. By going to Oklahoma State, Self will be that much closer to Texas (where a lot of top recruits are from, including Darrell Arthur), still recruit in other states, and dominate the state of Oklahoma-especially while Oklahoma University is down. The bottom line, it would have been in Self's best interest to leave Kansas for Oklahoma State now, on top, than leave less marketable in a couple of years when Oklahoma State fires this year's hire.
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