Kansas basketball head coach Bill Self addressed the media on Tuesday as part of the 2026 Monster Energy Big 12 Media Days at T-Mobile Center in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.
Self took a variety of questions from local and national media members as his team prepares for what should be an exciting 2026-27 season with a reloaded roster that appears capable of winning a national championship.
These were some of the biggest takeaways from Self throughout the day.
Roster Construction
Self was asked about his roster and what makes this group unique compared to past KU teams.
“I like our roster,” Self said. “I liked our roster before three weeks ago…I think we’re deeper, I think we’re more skilled shooting the basketball, I think we’re longer, I think we’re more athletic.”
READ MORE: Kansas Basketball Opens at No. 17 in Preseason AP Top 25 Poll
Despite the praise, Self said there’s still much to be determined about this year’s team, but he’s hopeful about what they can become.
“Those are nice things about a team, but how tough are we, how much we like each other, will we sacrifice for the good of others, can we put winning over everything else – those are intangible things that nobody will figure out until later on, but I think this team has a chance to be very, very good.”
Self also commented that he doesn’t believe we’ll truly know what kind of team this is until January once they’ve gone through some adversity.
Tyran Stokes
Self was asked how good star freshman Tyran Stokes is and if he lives up to the hype.
“I don’t know about the hype because the way you usually live up to the hype is points and rebounds,” Self said. “He’s a check-the-box kind of guy … He can really play well and not score points. So, will he live up to other people’s hype? I don’t know.”
Self later talked about what surprised him most about Stokes during the preseason.
“What’s surprised me about him is his basketball IQ is ridiculously high,” Self said. “The other thing is when he’s playing at his highest level, he’s a passer first, scorer second – and guys love playing with him. And I think it’s not a surprise, but I think to some people it could be a surprise – there’s nobody on our team that’s more coachable. I coach him hard, and he comes back for more every day.”
READ MORE: Tyran Stokes Named Preseason Freshman of the Year by Big 12 and CBS Sports
Self’s Return and His Coaching Future
When asked if Self believes he has anything left to prove as a coach – given all that he’s accomplished in his career – by coming back to Kansas for at least one more season, he said, “I don’t believe there’s anything left to prove, but I think there’s more work to be done.”
Self also touched on whether this will be his last season as head coach at KU.
“What my legacy is hopefully is what we do this year and what we do next year,” Self said. “I’m not really concerned about that, and I’m certainly not thinking like it’s my last. I know I’m on the back nine, but I don’t know what hole I’m on right now. A lot depends on how we feel, and as long as we play well, I’ll feel a lot better.”
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