Bill Self Returns After Health Scare, Reflects on KU’s Road Win at Colorado
Just two days after a health scare kept him off the sidelines, Kansas head coach Bill Self says he’s ready to return-no restrictions, no limitations. Speaking on his weekly “Hawk Talk” radio show, Self made it clear: he’s back.
“I could have coached today,” he said Wednesday night. “I could have coached last night-they just didn’t want me flying and being in altitude there. But certainly will be back on the practice court tomorrow, without question.”
It was a rare sight to see someone other than Self leading the Jayhawks, but acting coach Jacque Vaughn stepped in and guided Kansas to a gritty 75-69 win over Colorado on the road. That victory came without Self on the bench, but not without his presence looming large-albeit from his living room.
A Scare Before Takeoff
Self didn’t mince words when explaining what happened. Just before the team was set to fly to Boulder, he began experiencing “very abnormal chest issues.”
Given his medical history-including hospitalizations in March 2023 and again in July 2025 for heart-related issues-he wasn’t about to take any chances. He went straight to LMH Health.
The diagnosis? Dehydration and a bout of atrial fibrillation (AFib).
“I was not severely but very dehydrated,” he said. “And I’ve got AFib.
I just had a bout with that that was pretty significant in a very small snippet of time. But it was enough that I couldn’t get on a plane.”
That decision marked the 10th game Self has missed in recent years-nine of those came during the 2022-23 season, split between a suspension and previous health issues.
Watching From Afar
For a coach who’s used to calling the shots in real time, watching from home was a different kind of challenge.
“When you watch it, I am yelling at the TV, ‘Do this,’ or ‘Do that,’” Self said, laughing. “And then I start thinking realistically: Even if I was there and I said ‘Do this,’ or ‘Do that,’ there’s still a great chance it wouldn’t work. So now I understand what it actually means to be an armchair quarterback.”
The late tip-off-just after 10 p.m. Central-meant a long night for Self, who joked it was the latest he’s stayed up watching a game in a while.
Grading the Performance
From a results standpoint, Self gave his team an “A” for pulling out the win. From a technical standpoint? “C or whatever,” he said with a grin.
The altitude at CU Events Center-more than a mile above sea level-can mess with even the most well-conditioned athletes, and Self believes it played a role in disrupting Kansas' rhythm. He pointed to the unusually long stretch before the first whistle-over seven minutes of game time-as another factor that threw off the team’s energy.
“Our energy level wasn’t close to being comparable to what it was before,” he said. “I thought last night was one of those deals … you can still play OK, but it doesn’t have the same flow.”
Still, there were bright spots. Self singled out Melvin Council Jr. for his clutch plays down the stretch, Tre White for his rebounding and shot-making, and freshman Darryn Peterson for gutting it out after rolling his ankle in the second half.
Peterson’s Grit
Peterson’s injury, suffered while defending off the ball, looked rough-and according to Self, it was.
“It’s a pretty severe turn, as evidenced by how he’s walking today, or lack thereof,” Self said. The freshman guard is unlikely to be at full strength for a while, but Self praised his toughness for finishing the game despite the pain. “He’s not going to be 100% for a while, so he’s going to have to learn to deal with that.”
And while the injury may linger, Peterson earned something equally valuable: the respect of his teammates.
Looking Ahead
With Self back in full command, Kansas will gear up for a rivalry showdown in Manhattan on Saturday night against Kansas State. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., and the Jayhawks will be looking to build on the momentum from Colorado-this time with their head coach back where he belongs: on the bench, not on the couch.