Kansas coach Bill Self talks with media members on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at Viejas Arena in San Diego. Photo by Nick Krug

Kansas coach Bill Self will continue leading the Jayhawks.

He announced his decision to return for his 24th season at the helm in a statement posted on social media on Wednesday evening. The statement did not specify how long he might keep coaching, but Self will be back for at least the 2026-27 campaign.

“With renewed clarity and the ongoing support from our administration, I remain focused and committed to Kansas Basketball competing for a National Championship,” Self wrote. “I look forward to seeing and hearing the best fans in college basketball next season at Allen Fieldhouse.”

His declaration was preceded by a post from the KU men’s basketball account assuring fans that what followed was not going to be an April Fool’s Day joke.

The Hall of Famer and two-time national champion, who began his distinguished tenure with the Jayhawks in 2003, had said after KU’s season ended on March 22 with a 67-65 loss to St. John’s in the second round of the NCAA Tournament that he had not yet decided whether he would continue as head coach, and that he needed to visit and discuss with his family.

He said in order to be able to continue coaching, he would have to ensure that he could feel healthy while doing so, a reference to some of his recent health issues, including hospitalizations that took place before and during the 2025-26 season.

A week and a half following the season’s conclusion, now that Self has officially confirmed his plan to return — and so KU does not need to immediately begin looking for its ninth head coach at a time when fellow blue blood North Carolina already has an opening — the KU world’s attention can shift to what will be a pivotal offseason for the Jayhawks as they look to take a step forward next year. KU will look to make it out of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament in 2027 for the first time since it won the national title in 2022.

In the realm of high school recruiting, KU already has freshmen Davion Adkins, Luke Barnett, Taylen Kinney and Trent Perry signed for the class of 2026. Kinney recently took part in Tuesday’s McDonald’s All-American Game in Glendale, Arizona, but so did longtime KU target and No. 1 player in the recruiting class Tyran Stokes. It will soon become clear whether Self’s return provides the impetus for Stokes, who is also considering Kentucky, to make a decision on his college commitment.

Elsewhere, the rest of KU’s existing roster will likely experience some turnover beginning when the portal opens on Tuesday. Excluding Darryn Peterson, who is a surefire top-three pick in June’s NBA Draft, KU has eight scholarship players with remaining eligibility: Corbin Allen, Flory Bidunga, Samis Calderon, Elmarko Jackson, Paul Mbiya, Jamari McDowell, Kohl Rosario and Bryson Tiller. Bidunga could potentially opt for the draft as well; it’s not yet clear which other Jayhawks might choose to stay as opposed to entering the portal.