Danny Manning could officially join the Kansas University men’s basketball department as early as Friday afternoon.

The 37-year-old Manning, a former KU All-American who led the Jayhawks to the 1988 NCAA championship, will definitely join Bill Self’s staff for the 2003-2004 season.

Earlier stories:¢Manning mulling career options (7-29-03)¢ 6Sports video: Manning’s options are open¢ Danny Manning bio

“He won’t be a coach,” Self told the Journal-World Thursday morning, “but he’ll come in some capacity.”

Self plans to meet with Manning on Friday morning in hopes of coming to terms.

“We’re going to try to finalize the deal,” the first-year KU coach said. “We’re going to dot the I’s and cross the T’s, so it probably won’t be official until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest.”

Manning has played 15 seasons in the NBA. During the last five years, he has played for five different teams and signed five one-year contracts.

If an NBA team should approach Manning and ask him to play next season, Self said he wouldn’t stand in the 6-foot-10 veteran’s way.

“I’ll let him do whatever he wants, absolutely,” Self said.

Manning told the Journal-World earlier this summer that he had been approached by some NBA teams about becoming a coach.

“Right now, to be honest with you, if I’m going to spend time in the NBA, I’d rather be making player money than coach money. That’s what it boils down to basically,” Manning said.

Manning has not closed the door on his professional playing days.

“Playing-wise, it has to be a good situation,” Manning said. “If it’s not, then it’s not anything I’m interested in. It’d have to be a real, real good team to join in like I did last year. I do enough to stay ready, and that’s always been my mentality.”

Manning joined the Detroit Pistons at midseason last year. He played in just 13 games, averaging 2.6 points and 1.4 boards while playing an average of 6.8 minutes.

Players older than Manning are still drawing the NBA veteran minimum paycheck of $1 million a year.

Not that Manning needs the money. He has earned millions during his NBA career and is currently having a home built just down the road from Self’s house in an exclusive area in the northwest part of town.