[BourbonMan]

Early coaching jobs

After a successful playing career as Oklahoma High School Basketball Player of the Year in 1981 at Edmond Memorial High School, Self played for Paul Hansen's Oklahoma State Cowboys before joining Larry Brown's coaching staff at the University of Kansas, replacing John Calipari when Calipari accepted a position as Assistant Coach at the University of Pittsburgh. Self remained at Kansas as an Assistant Coach for the 1985–1986 season. Between 1986 and 1993, Self was an assistant coach at Oklahoma State University under Leonard Hamilton, followed by Eddie Sutton.

[edit] Oral Roberts

After Oral Roberts University (ORU) compiled a 5–22 record in the 1992–1993 season, the worst in its history, Bill Self was hired as its head coach. In his first season at ORU, the team managed only six wins/victories. Things improved slightly the following year, when ORU won ten games. In Self's third season, he guided the Golden Eagles to an 18–9 record, and in his fourth season, (1996–1997), ORU registered a 21–7 record as the school made its first postseason tournament appearance since its 1983–1984 appearance in the National Invitation Tournament.[6]

[edit] Tulsa

After rebuilding the Golden Eagles, Self was hired by crosstown rival the University of Tulsa and spent three seasons (1998 to 2000) there, compiling a Tulsa-best 74–27 record. While at TU, Self coached the Hurricane to consecutive NCAA tournament appearances in 1999 and 2000. In the 1999-2000 season, in addition to setting a school single-season record for victories by compiling a 32-5 record, Self led the Golden Hurricane to its first-ever Elite Eight appearance.[7]

[edit] Illinois

On June 9, 2000, the University of Illinois named Bill Self the head coach of their basketball program. Self's predecessor, Lon Kruger, had recently left the Illinois program to accept a job in the NBA as head coach of the Atlanta Hawks.

In 2001, his first season at Illinois, Self coached a squad of mostly Lon Kruger recruits to a 27-8 record (13-3 conference record), a share of the Big Ten title, and a final Associated Press ranking of 4th in the nation, resulting in the Fighting Illini earning a number '1' seed in the NCAA Tournament. Self coached Illinois guards Frank Williams and Cory Bradford, along with guard/forward Sergio McClain, forward Brian Cook, and center Marcus Griffin, to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament. The Illini failed to advance beyond the Elite Eight after falling to eventual tournament finalists number '2' seeded Arizona. The '01 Illini roster included future NBA players Frank Williams, Robert Archibald and Brian Cook. With mostly the same core, Illinois followed up the season with impressive 2002 and 2003 campaigns, but fell in the NCAA Tournament sweet 16 in 2002 to the University of Kansas, and the second round in 2003 to the University of Notre Dame.

After the 2003 season, Roy Williams left the University of Kansas to take over at North Carolina. This vacancy left many speculating that Self would take what was well-publicized as his "dream job" with the Jayhawks. Self told a large group of Illini supporters that he was happy at Illinois, but he did not close the door on the move.[8] Self left for Kansas just a few days later.

Self was responsible for the recruitment of many of the 2005 Fighting Illini team which won the Big Ten title under Bruce Weber.[9] Bruce Weber replaced Self prior to the 2004 season and coached the 2005 Fighting Illini, almost exclusively Self's recruits, to an NCAA record tying 37–2 record after falling to North Carolina in the NCAA championship game. Players Self recruited and developed on that team included four eventual NBA draft picks, New Jersey Nets guard Deron Williams, Dee Brown, Luther Head and James Augustine.[9]

Self also secured a verbal commitment from forward Charlie Villanueva, who was a projected 1st round pick in the NBA draft out of high school. After Self left for Kansas, and after a tornado struck Lawrence during his visit,[10] Villanueva decided not to follow Self to Kansas and opted to attend the University of Connecticut.

In Self's three seasons in Illinois, he led the Fighting Illini to two Big Ten regular-season championships, a Big Ten Tournament title, and three straight NCAA tournament appearances. His record was 78–24 in that span, the best three-season run in Illinois' history until it was surpassed by Illinois' subsequent coach Bruce Weber soon thereafter

And the years at KU...And I probably shouldn't have use the word mediocrity, but why not take the chance to become LEGENDARY, What's he got to lose, unless he is contempt to be just a College Coach and yes, probably getting more Money and Perks than most NBA coaches and Players.