University of Illinois men’s basketball coach Bill Self might be mixing business with pleasure during his Florida vacation.

Kansas University athletic department officials Wednesday received permission to speak with Self about replacing Roy Williams as KU’s coach, meaning the third-year Illini coach might be doing more than sunbathing during the next day or so in Miami Beach.

“Kansas has contacted us, and apparently will be contacting Bill,” Illinois sports information director Kent Brown said Wednesday.

KU officials tried to contact Illinois athletic director Ron Guenther Tuesday night, finally making contact Wednesday morning.

“It’s really Bill’s situation at this point,” Brown said. “We are in a waiting period until one party or the other would indicate what their plans are.”

Self, 40, worked under Larry Brown at Kansas as a graduate assistant during the 1985-86 season. It is believed the Oklahoma State graduate definitely is interested in the job.

“Certainly, I understand why there would be speculation, with my relationship with the University of Kansas in the past,” Self said after the Illini’s team banquet Tuesday. “If they do call, I may say, ‘Let’s visit,’ or after talking a few minutes I may say, ‘I don’t feel it.’ I certainly wouldn’t mislead anyone.”

If Self does come to KU, a top recruit might follow. Charlie Villaneuva, 6-foot-9 from Brooklyn, N.Y., who has orally committed to Illinois, told the Urbana-Champaign newspaper he’d consider following Self to Kansas.

Self has a buyout provision in his contract, which would have to be paid by KU if it hires the coach. It’s safe to assume the deal, if meant to be, would be struck soon. Self, who has a great job and two consecutive stellar recruiting classes, is not in the position to let a job search drag out.

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Meanwhile, speculation surges that former KU coach Larry Brown and Wichita State coach Mark Turgeon both have talked to KU officials about the opening.

“This search is definitely involving people with KU ties,” one source told the Journal-World.

Brown, the Philadelphia 76ers’ coach, worked at KU from 1984-88, while Turgeon is a former Jayhawk player.

Notre Dame coach Mike Brey also addressed KU rumors this week.

“That’s a great program, obviously, and huge tradition. But we’re getting close to being a great program. We’re in that territory and we’re striving for that kind of stuff. That’s my tone with that,” Brey said. “I’m so tired of this time of year with the Internet and all that stuff. I’m numb to it now. I don’t even pay attention to it, but I know our fans do and everybody else does. I’m going to recruit for Notre Dame. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Gonzaga officials said Wednesday that nobody from KU had called about speaking to coach Mark Few.

Marquette athletic director Bill Cords isn’t saying if KU has called to ask permission to talk to coach Tom Crean.

“I’m not commenting on anything,” Cords told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

Last month, when Crean was tied to rumors at UCLA, Cords told the paper: “I think the thing that people need to understand more about Tom — and I think more and more people do — they get this feeling that somebody’s going to come along and have big pockets. Tom isn’t about that. He’s never been and probably never will be. He’s about commitment, he’s about relationships, he’s about building things. All the things you would want to have in a coach.”