Larry Brown hopes Bill Self stays at KU: ‘It’d break my heart if we lose him’
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Larry Brown hopes Bill Self remains as Kansas coach if he is healthy.
- Brown criticizes NIL and transfer portal for disrupting roster stability and relationship
- Brown warns college game risks losing veteran coaches and praises recent hires and teams.
Former Kansas basketball coach Larry Brown, who gave Bill Self his start in college coaching by hiring the former Oklahoma State point guard as a grad assistant for the 1985-86 season, hopes the 63-year-old Hall of Famer remains leader of the Jayhawks’ program for years to come.
“It’d break my heart if we lose him,” Brown said Wednesday in a phone interview with The Star.
“(He’s) my favorite guy in the world coaching at my favorite place in the world. Too many great coaches have stepped down because of this damn NIL but we need Bill Self — I’m strictly being selfish — coaching in Lawrence forever,” Brown added.
Self said after Sunday’s season-ending loss to St. John’s he’d return to Lawrence, take some time to assess his health and after speaking with family members decide whether he’d return for season No. 24 at KU or retire.
“I value family’s input, because you can’t be a coach at the University of Kansas and not have everybody on board (with) what you do. You can’t do it alone,” Brown told The Star. “I think Bill realizes that as much as anybody, but I’ve always felt the worst time you can ever make a decision is after the season, or maybe after a tough loss.
“I don’t think anybody can make a really good decision (right after season’s end), but just selfishly, for me: One, I hope he is healthy. But two, he’s as good a coach as we’ve ever had in our sport. He’s done amazing things wherever he’s been, especially at Kansas.”
Not speaking of Self specifically, Brown said he’s certain some veteran coaches are growing weary of having to rebuild their entire roster year after year because of the transfer portal and NIL.
“Nobody’s opposed to paying kids, but so many agents are making decisions for kids based on money, and it’s the worst way to do it,” Brown said.
“I’m helping a lot of kids. I get parents to call me, agents to call me, and nobody asks, ’Is he going to get a good education?’ Nobody really asks you, ’Is he going to get better if he goes there?’ Most of them ask, ‘Are they going to get paid?’ That’s crazy. And then, you know, coach Smith (Dean, Brown’s mentor) taught me you treat (player) 1 through 13 the same. You can’t do that anymore. You’ve got someone like (Hunter) Dickinson making $2 million and somebody else making $30,000. I don’t think veteran coaches like that.
“And then the last thing, you never get to form a relationship with them (players), because they’re in and out. I was at North Carolina’s last home game, and I’m close to Seth Trimble. He stayed there four years and they said he might be one of the last Carolina guys ever to stay four years. How about that?”
Brown said as much as he wants fellow Hall of Famer Self to remain at KU, he won’t call Self and express his thoughts.
“Oh no,” Brown said. “I text him and talk to coach (Kurtis) Townsend a lot. I don’t want to interfere with any decision he makes. I’ll text him and tell him, ‘If you need to talk to me, I’ll be available.’”
Brown stressed that the college coaching profession can’t afford to keep losing respected veteran coaches.
“Oh man, nobody does it any better than Bill. We already lost Jay Wright (Villanova). We’re losing a lot of good guys. Thad Matta (Butler), Greg (McDermott) from Creighton, Larranaga (Jim, Miami), Tony Bennett (Virginia). I can’t stand it, what’s happening.”
On another topic, the 85-year-old Brown, who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, was asked his take on the upcoming Sweet 16 and which team might win the 2026 NCAA title.
“Well my heart is Iowa State and Houston,” Brown said. “They play the right way. They’ve got grit. I love their coaches. You know, I love everybody. I don’t want anybody to lose, but I’m happy for Miller (Sean, Texas). Sean and I are close. It’s amazing what he’s done, but I just love those two guys (Kelvin Sampson, T.J. Otzelberger) and what they stand for.”
Brown spoke to The Star moments after he had a phone conversation with former KU point guard Mark Turgeon, who recently was hired to coach the Kansas City Roos. Turgeon played for Brown at KU and also was on the coaching staff of Brown and Roy Williams.
“I’m thrilled. Turg hired his son (Will, assistant). He’s back in the Midwest, where he needs to be. I’m just thrilled for him,” Brown said.
This story was originally published March 25, 2026 at 1:21 PM.
