Kansas coach Bill Self walks with former KU coach Larry Brown, right, after Kansas' victory over Colorado in this file photo from Feb. 16. Brown was in town for the 20-year anniversary of the 1988 national title team. He'll be back this week for a Bert Nash fundraiser.

There are some striking similarities between Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self and his mentor, Larry Brown.

Hall of Famer Brown led the Jayhawks to an NCAA championship in 1988 at the age of 47 in his 16th year as a head coach.

Self led the same program to a national title 20 years later at the age of 45 in his 15th year as a head coach.

“That’s flattering to hear, (but) I would say the parallels are we both had an unbelievable opportunity to coach at a school with such great tradition,” said Brown, a longtime vocal supporter of Self, who worked on Brown’s KU 1985-86 staff as a graduate assistant.

“Bill is working for an unbelievable athletic director in Lew (Perkins). I got the benefit of that twice – Monte (Johnson) bringing me in and Bob (Frederick).”

Brown doesn’t see Self as a clone of himself.

“I look at it a little differently,” said Brown, who will be back in town for Saturday’s “An Evening With Larry Brown and Friends” fundraiser to benefit Bert Nash (ticket information is available at bertnash.org).

“Bill is hopefully going to be there a long time because I think he realizes how special being the head coach at Kansas is. I don’t know if I realized it until I left. Even though I felt I was in a special place : when you leave you realize how privileged you were to be there and what it stands for.

“In coming back for the 100th-year celebration and 20th anniversary (of 1988 championship), my appreciation for the place has grown more and more. I take a lot of pride I was allowed to coach there. I know Bill feels the same.”

Brown left KU after his fifth season for the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs. He has led a record seven NBA teams to playoff appearances and has worked for two ABA and eight NBA teams, including his latest stop, Charlotte.

Brown took the Bobcats’ job April 29, capping an amazing month that took him to San Antonio for an extremely personal Final Four.

The 68-year old native New Yorker had ties to all four participating teams – KU, North Carolina, UCLA and Memphis. The North Carolina graduate was head coach at KU and UCLA. He tutored Memphis coach John Calipari from 1983 to ’85 at KU.

“The beginning of the week was a little stressful because I had a connection with every one of those places,” Brown said. “I was proud of that, but also uneasy with it. You knew there would be only one group walking away excited and happy.”

Brown watched in amazement as KU raced to a 40-12 lead over North Carolina in the national semifinals. The Tar Heels at one point closed to four points (54-50) before KU righted itself for an 84-66 victory.

“If Green makes that three, you don’t know what would have happened,” Brown said, referring to Danny Green missing a three that could have cut KU’s lead over the Tar Heels to a two points in the second half. “Based on what happened Monday, you felt KU probably would have found a way to win as well.”

On Monday, April 7, KU erased a nine-point deficit in the final 2:12, forcing overtime against Memphis on a Mario Chalmers three with two seconds to play.

“I’ve never seen anything happen so quickly,” Brown said of the late KU comeback. “After (Sherron) Collins stole it and made the three, I said, ‘Gosh, it’s a two-possession game.’

Collins’ steal and trey followed a Darrell Arthur bucket, and KU trailed just, 60-56, with 1:45 left.

“I couldn’t imagine how quickly it went from no chance to, ‘Wow,”’ Brown said. “John (Calipari) called it ‘The Perfect Storm.’ So many things happened in the last minute and change that you couldn’t explain.

“Then it goes back to Bill. I heard them (players) say he never talked about losing the game. He said they had a chance to win it. Talking like that obviously affected his kids in a positive way.”

Brown said though he “loves” UCLA and North Carolina, he did feel an extra surge of pride watching the finale.

“Everybody is aware of my involvement with Carolina and relationship with Roy,” Brown said. He and fellow UNC graduate Roy Williams were on the same staff at the 2004 Olympic Games. “I coached UCLA, but when the finals came, there were two guys who were assistant coaches with me participating. I love ’em both. I was so proud of them. It was a pretty special night for me. I said this at the time and believed it: That was the most proud I’ve ever been at any time in my life in terms of basketball.

“To watch those two coach and realize what they accomplished and contributed to our sport : I understand how sometimes your careers are defined in games like that, unfortunately. It was a monster night.”

As will be Saturday night – the fundraiser at Crown Toyota.

“My experience in Lawrence has been pretty special,” Brown said. “Anytime I can come back to be involved in any way, I’m thrilled to do it. One thing special about KU is so many (Jayhawks) like to come back. Bill has really tried so hard to keep everybody involved as part of the KU family. He makes everybody feel special and want to come back.”

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Recruiting note: High school seniors Daniel Orton (Oklahoma City McGuinness High), Thomas Robinson (Brewster Academy, Wolfeboro, N.H.) and John Wall (Word of God Christian Academy, Raleigh, N.C.) completed their official campus visits to KU on Sunday.

“He had a nice time. The whole weekend was great,” Carolyn Orton, mother of Daniel, said Sunday night. Daniel Orton and his parents attended Friday night’s banquet, during which the 2007-08 Jayhawks received their national title rings.

She indicated Daniel would take “some other visits, then we will sit and evaluate when the visits are complete.”

The 6-foot-10 power forward will visit Oklahoma next weekend, Kentucky on Oct. 10 and return for Late Night in the Phog on Oct. 17.

Robinson, a 6-8 forward, told Rivals.com a highlight was meeting assistant coach Danny Manning. “He is one of the best power forwards to ever play college basketball,” said Robinson who will visit Memphis Oct. 4 and Southern California on Oct. 18.

Wall, a 6-4 point guard, also had a great time in Lawrence. “I talked to some of the players, and they said it’s like a family here at Kansas,” Wall said. “It felt like I was at home during my trip. There is definitely a family atmosphere at Kansas that I really like. Being able to attend the ring ceremony and seeing some of the former players return was a cool experience.”

Wall, who has visited Baylor, said he has no other visits scheduled at this time. He also has had Kentucky, Memphis, Oregon, North Carolina State and Oklahoma State on his list. He told Rivals.com he was in no hurry to choose a school.