Bill Self doesn’t regret leaving Illinois for Kansas University, but the negative reaction of some Illini fans and supporters was disappointing, Self said last week at the Nike All-America basketball camp in Indianapolis.

“After I was gone, I realized that I had left on bad terms with some people there,” Self told the Champaign (Ill.) News-Gazette. “But I’ll say this. If you’re going to leave, I don’t see how it could be any different. The bottom line is, if you leave, some people are going to be upset.”

Perhaps the most upset was Illinois athletic director Ron Guenther.

“We had a great relationship for the three years I was there, and that relationship changed in the last three hours I was there,” Self said. “He’s a great guy. I loved working for him, and there was no negative to that. But when the decision was made to go to Kansas? We haven’t spoken since.”

Self said he agonized about whether to leave when KU officials told him to make his intentions known by the Saturday night before Easter.

“I wasn’t ready,” Self said. “And that’s why we changed our mind three times that Saturday.”

The ultimate decision was the best for him and his family, Self said.

“And how I left doesn’t change one thing about how I feel about Illinois,” he said. “Illinois was good to us and we really enjoyed our time there, and that will never change.”

Self realizes it will take time to repair the hard feelings, both with Guenther and with the Illini fans.

Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self greets a fan during the Nike All-American camp. Self attended the prep basketball showcase Tuesday in Indianapolis.

“I do think time has a way of making things better, and the best thing for Bill Self, in my opinion, is for Illinois to be successful,” he said.

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Collison scores 15: Former KU forward Nick Collison, a rookie with the Seattle SuperSonics, scored 15 points off 7-of-10 shooting and grabbed four rebounds in his pro debut, a 96-81 victory over Dallas in the Long Beach, Calif., summer league. He followed that with nine points off 4-of-9 shooting in Friday’s 90-67 loss to Toronto.

Former Jayhawk center Eric Chenowith continues to play well for the Los Angeles Lakers’ summer-league team. Chenowith hit six of eight shots, good for 13 points, and had three rebounds in Friday’s 98-78 victory over Houston. He had 10 points and five boards in Thursday’s 104-102 win over Golden State.