Turgeon withdraws; Self, Brown 1-2

Now that Mark Turgeon has taken his hat out of the ring, the Kansas University men’s basketball vacancy looks like a one- or two-man race.

Illinois coach Bill Self, regarded as the leading candidate all along, appears to have the edge over Larry Brown, the man who guided the Jayhawks to the 1988 NCAA championship.

According to sources, Self has been approached by KU officials and was offered a five-year contract that would pay him about $1.5 million a year. Self, who has compiled a 78-24 record in three seasons at Illinois, signed a five-year extension last December that will be worth nearly $1 million in 2003-2004.

A source close to the Illini coach said the 40-year-old former Oklahoma State guard is torn between remaining at Illinois, where he will have four returning starters, or leaving for Kansas, a job he has coveted since serving as a graduate assistant under Brown in 1985-86.

Self is vacationing with his family in Florida and isn’t expected to return to Champaign-Urbana, Ill., until Saturday.

Sources close to Self say, even if he soon agrees to take the KU job, he wants to complete his family vacation and also wants to tell his players in person, meaning it might be difficult to announce him as KU coach until next week.

Another source indicated Self’s wife would like to see the KU campus and check out Lawrence before a decision would be made.

At any rate …

“Working toward a resolution,” is the way one source described discussions with Self.

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Who should replace Roy Williams as KU men’s basketball coach?

Illinois’ Bill Self
Gonzaga’s Mark Few
Wichita State’s Mark Turgeon
Former UNC coach and KU assistant Matt Doherty
Current KU assistant Steve Robinson
Philadelphia 76ers coach Larry Brown
Current KU assistant Joe Holladay
Marquette coach Tom Crean
Memphis’ John Calipari
Other

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Another source said talks were running smoothly and the only holdup was that Self was torn, much like Roy Williams was torn between North Carolina and Kansas.

If Kansas officials can’t come to terms with Self, it’s possible they would turn to Brown, who has spent the last 15 years coaching in the NBA, but has nevertheless expressed an interest in replacing Williams, the man who succeeded him after the ’88 championship season.

Reportedly, many influential KU boosters would like to see the 63-year-old Brown, now coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, return.

The Sixers are in the NBA playoffs that will start this weekend, and whether his team being in the playoffs would delay Brown’s hiring is problematical. Brown left the New Jersey Nets before the 1982-1983 NBA regular season had concluded when he was tapped by KU athletic director Monte Johnson to replace Ted Owens.

Wichita State’s Turgeon pulled the ripcord Thursday afternoon.

“Today I woke up and my gut told me Wichita State is where I need to be,” Turgeon said in a statement. “I pray that all of the Kansas basketball family will understand my decision.”

Turgeon, 38, is a former KU basketball player. A Topeka Hayden product, he played guard for the Jayhawks from 1984-87 and was an assistant coach from 1989-92.

Turgeon has been a head coach for only five seasons. He was at Jacksonville, Ala., State for two years and just completed his third season at WSU. The Shockers compiled an 18-12 record in 2002-2003 and made their first postseason tournament appearance in 14 years when the school was selected for the NIT.

According to Turgeon, KU officials regarded him as one of their top choices to replace Williams.

“I was excited that the university showed extreme interest in me as a candidate for the head coaching position,” Turgeon said. “But I have made a commitment to Wichita State and my players to rebuild the basketball program and bring pride and enthusiasm back to all Shocker fans. We are definitely on the right path and the foundation has been set … the players and their dedication to me over the last three years was the overriding part of my decision to stay in Wichita and with the opening of Charles Koch Arena next season, I wanted to be coach at Wichita State.”


Assistant sports editor Gary Bedore contributed information for this story.