Bill Self Sends Strong Message After Kansas Coach's Retirement Decision
The Kansas Jayhawks have been well recognized for having a world-class college basketball program under the leadership of head coach Bill Self for the past several years.
Self recently led the Jayhawks to another NCAA Tournament trip, suffering a loss to Arkansas in the first round.
Advertisement
As Self and the staff at Kansas prepare for the team for a bounce-back year, the Jayhawks received an unfortunate update regarding the coaching staff.
Longtime assistant coach Norm Roberts retired from coaching college basketball, officially departing Kansas and the Big 12.
Upon the release of the news, Self sent a message to Roberts. The Kansas head coach shared kind words for the well known assistant, congratulating him on a "successful career."
"I'd like to give a special shoutout to my assistant coach and more importantly, one of my best friends, Norm Roberts," Self said. "As people know by now, Norm announced his retirement from a very, very successful career in college basketball...Norm has done as good a job as anyone at representing this university...Norm, we're so happy for you, we're proud of you and thanks for being so loyal and such a great influence on so many young men."
Norm Roberts has been an assistant coach for Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks since 2012. He also worked on the same staff as Self at Oral Roberts from 1995 to 1997, as well as Tulsa from 1997 to 2000 and Illinois from 2000 to 2003.
Advertisement
After cementing a legacy under Self, Roberts has officially chosen to walk away from college basketball, having been in the mix from 1991 to 2025.
Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self.Scott Sewell-Imagn Images
Self has been with the Kansas Jayhawks since 2003. He's served as the head coach of the college basketball program since that season after beginning his career as an assistant coach at Kansas in 1985.
Related: Five-Star Recruit Gets Big News Before Joining John Calipari at Arkansas
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
UNC baseball gets Luke Stevenson replacement with transfer portal commitment
UNC baseball gets Luke Stevenson replacement with transfer portal commitment Can UNC's first baseball transfer portal commitment make an immediate impact in 2026? Georgia State transfer catcher Colin Hynek has committed to North Carolina. In 2025, he hit .230 with 18 HRs and 45 RBIs, leading the team in homers and ranking fourth in RBIs and total bases. He had a .586 SLG, .396 OBP, and 36 walks. — Chris Smith (@chrismithunc) June 7, 2025 The UNC baseball team is extremely lucky to have Luke Stevenson behind the dish, but his time in Chapel Hill is likely coming to an end after the current season. Stevenson, mocked to be a first-round pick in July's MLB Draft, is a do-it-all catcher. Stevenson is the Diamond Heels' top power source, mashing 19 home runs, while he's also a defensive stalwart with only two errors. With Stevenson likely gone in 2026, North Carolina needs an answer at catcher. UNC also carries Liberty transfer Macaddin Dye behind the plate, plus Juco transfer Rom Kellis, but wants to add another option. The Diamond Heels are hoping that their latest roster addition is their answer behind the dish. On Saturday, North Carolina secured a commitment from Georgia State transfer Colin Hynek, who started 105 of the 132 games he played in Atlanta. Like Stevenson, Hynek is also a power threat at the plate, mashing 33 home runs and driving in 91 runs across thre seasons. By coming to Chapel Hill, Hynek will have a significantly better shot at competing for a championship. Georgia State just completed a 26-30 campaign and hasn't made the NCAA Tournament since 2009, while UNC is playing in the Super Regional round for a second-consecutive season. If you're following recent transactions across college baseball, there's plenty of transfers already in the portal, particularly from the Virginia Cavaliers. The Diamond Heels will benefit from adding more starting pitching to their 2026 roster, while more hitting power couldn't hurt. Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
New York Post
4 hours ago
- New York Post
Dick Vitale signs contract extension as ESPN announces annual game in his honor
Awesome baby! Dick Vitale, 86, signed a contract extension with ESPN through the 2027-28 season Monday. That was not the only present he received on his birthday. Advertisement ESPN also announced the Dick Vitale Invitational, which will take place in Charlotte, N.C., on Nov. 4, 2025. This year's matchup will feature Duke and Texas. 'ESPN has been such a vital part of my,' Vitale said. 'I was so thrilled to learn that ESPN Events will have an annual Dick Vitale Invitational.' Dick Vitale is pictured in 2021. AP Advertisement The legendary college basketball color commentator has been with ESPN since 1979. During his career, he has coined many legendary catch phrases, including 'it's awesome baby' and 'diaper dandy' for talented freshmen. Unfortunately, those lines have not been heard on the airwaves for quite some time. Vitale announced that he was diagnosed with and underwent surgery for melanoma near his nose om August 2021. Advertisement Just three months later, he was diagnosed with cancer again. This time, his diagnosis was lymphoma. Once again, he was able to claim victory over cancer, announcing he was cancer-free in 2022. Advertisement He was even able to return to television to call ESPN's international broadcast of UConn's 2023 NCAA Tournament championship game victory over San Diego State. Dick Vitale at a press conference in 2021. Getty Images Still, cancer continued to try to get in his way. In July 2023, he was diagnosed with vocal cord cancer. \After radiation treatments, he was advised by doctors to rest his voice, forcing him to miss the 2023-2024 season. Vitale had to fight cancer one more time in June 2024 as cancer was found a lymph node in his neck. But in the end, Vitale defeated it again. Advertisement On X, Vitale said that this was 'my national championship.' Vitale's return to broadcasting happened in February 2025 when he called a regular-season matchup between Duke and Clemson.
New York Times
5 hours ago
- New York Times
College World Series field set: Hello Murray State! Racers crash 8-team field
The eight-team field for the 2025 College World Series is complete with Murray State beating Duke on Monday night to earn the final spot. The Racers are the fourth No. 4 seed to make it to Omaha since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1999, joining Fresno State in 2008, Stony Brook in 2012 and Oral Roberts in 2023. Fresno State went on to win the national championship. Advertisement Murray State, out of the Missouri Valley Conference, joins a geographically diverse field that includes two teams from the SEC (Arkansas and LSU) and one each from the ACC (Louisville), Big 12 (Arizona), Big Ten (UCLA) and Sun Belt (Coastal Carolina) as well as one independent (Oregon State). Friday: Arizona vs. Coastal Carolina, 2 p.m. (ET); Louisville vs. Oregon State, 7 p.m. (ET) Saturday: UCLA vs. Murray State, 2 p.m. (ET); LSU vs. Arkansas, 7 p.m. (ET) Only three of the eight national seeds and five of the top 16 seeds overall advanced to the College World Series. That's down from five of eight and seven of 16 in last year's field. The national seeds to advance: No. 3 Arkansas, No. 6 LSU and No. 8 Oregon State. Other top-16 seeds to advance: No. 13 Coastal Carolina and No. 15 UCLA. Top seed Vanderbilt, No. 2 seed Texas and No. 7 seed Georgia each failed to get out of the Regional round, while No. 4 seed Auburn and No. 5 seed North Carolina lost in the Super Regionals. There will not be a repeat champion as Tennessee, the No. 14 seed, lost to Arkansas in the Super Regionals. The last repeat champ was South Carolina in 2010 and 2011. Also, there is a completely new field in 2025. None of the teams from the 2024 CWS are back in Omaha. 2025 will be the first time in the super regional era (since 1999) that no team that made it to the College World Series the year before will be back in Omaha — Aria Gerson (@aria_gerson) June 9, 2025 LSU is a slight betting favorite over Arkansas to win the CWS, but the pick here is Arkansas. The Hogs hit a few speed bumps late in the season — losing four of five series during one stretch — but this is the most complete team in the country. The lineup is balanced and powerful (seven players have at least 13 home runs), and the pitching staff is as deep and versatile as any in college baseball. Arkansas is making its 12th trip to the CWS but has yet to win a national title. That drought will end this season.
