Kansas self-imposes four-game suspension for head basketball coach Bill Self

The Kansas Jayhawks are riding high coming off the school’s fourth NCAA basketball championship, its first since 2008 and the second championship for head coach Bill Self. 

However, the Jayhawks’ title defense will begin without Self on the bench. 

Kansas suspended Self and assistant coach Kurtis Townsend for the first four games of the 2022 regular season for violations stemming from a 2017 NCAA infractions investigation.

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Assistant coach Norm Roberts will serve as interim head coach during Self’s absence. 

“Coach Townsend and I accept and support KU’s decision,” Self said in a statement. “We are in good hands with Coach Roberts, and I am confident that he will do a great job on the bench leading our team. I am proud of the way our guys have handled this situation and I look forward to returning to the bench for our game against N.C. State.”

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The university will also take away one scholarship a year over the next three years, as well as the “reduction of four official visits during this academic year and in 2023-24.” 

The investigation in 2017 involved five schools – Arizona, LSU, Louisville, N.C. State and Kansas. 

The involvement for Kansas came over whether two representatives for Adidas were considered boosters after they arranged payments for two recruits.  

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“Throughout this process, we have had ongoing conversations with all the involved parties,” Kansas chancellor Douglas A. Girod said in a statement. “We believe the actions we are announcing today move us closer to resolving this matter.”

The Jayhawks’ third game of the season is against No. 7 Duke on Nov. 15.

The Associated Press contributed to this report