Bill Self was a 22-year-old Kansas University men’s basketball graduate assistant in 1985, the year Larry Brown brought “Late Night” to KU.

“Yes, I do remember it. If I am not mistaken, it was the first year they did ‘Late Night,'” first-year KU coach Self said, reflecting on the Jayhawks’ first attempt at Midnight Madness.

“That was when Jams shorts were a big fad. I remember the whole coaching staff wore Jams — those Hawaiian looking shorts,” Self added.

That’s not the only thing Self remembers about the first “Late Night With Larry Brown” season-opening practice, which was attended by just 6,000 fans — 10,300 fewer than likely will attend Friday’s “Late Night In the Phog,” which will be presided over by Self.

“I remember we had a guy named Jerry Johnson on that team,” Self said of a 6-foot-7 freshman from Omaha, Neb. “The seniors — who were led by Calvin (Thompson) — told Jerry Johnson they wanted him to lead us out for Late Night.

“Everybody was all excited, jumping around. When it was time to go out there, he (Johnson) runs out full speed and nobody else is with him. He was the only guy out on the court. It was a little joke on the freshman.

“I remember all those good times,” Self added.

Eighteen years later, he says he’s really looking forward to Friday’s Late Night festivities, calling the season-opening practice “a great tradition at KU, a great way to open the season.”

Late Night has changed quite a bit since 1985.

For instance, at the first Late Night the focus was all on the scrimmage, which takes place at midnight, the first time teams can practice in accordance with NCAA rules.

Along the way many things have been added, such as skits and singing and dancing numbers.

Brown never shuffled his feet on the floor, not like former KU men’s coach Roy Williams and current women’s coach Marian Washington, who have joined the players in dance routines the last 10 years or so. Self has hinted he will sit out any dance portions of the show.

“Coach may have said, ‘No way.’ We’ll see. We’ll get him out there. We’ll drag him out there if we have to,” junior guard Michael Lee said with a mischievous grin. “Believe me, the fans will get to see all the coaches dance. We’ll try to make sure of that.”

The Jayhawks have taken to the personable Self, who is a demanding coach, but one the players can relate to.

“He is definitely a player’s coach,” junior Wayne Simien said. “He is easy to talk to. He is open to small conversation. He is younger and can shoot the breeze about small stuff. You find yourself going by and slap five with him, stuff like that.”

“His door is open,” junior Keith Langford noted. “I’ve talked to him a lot, called him on his cell phone. He is open to suggestions. It’s like you are almost allowed to contradict him to a certain extent.”

“He is down to earth, cool. He expects us to work hard, same as coach Williams,” point guard Aaron Miles said. “He is a great coach. I look forward to playing for him.”

Just as the fans look forward to meeting him Friday — 18 years after his first Late Night.

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Chat with Self: First-year KU coach Self will take part in an online chat at 10 a.m. today at kusports.com. At that time, he’ll answer questions about Late Night, the upcoming season and anything else on KU fans’ minds.