Prior to West Virginia’s Big 12 Tournament Quarterfinal game against Kansas on Thursday, it was announced Jayhawk head coach Bill Self will not be at the end of the bench to coach his team.
Self, 60, was replaced by Norm Roberts for the game against West Virginia, but after the game, Kansas University released another statement saying Self will miss the remainder of the Big 12 Tournament.
Kansas’ statement read, “KU Men’s Basketball Coach Bill Self is a patient at the University of Kansas Health System. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Steve Stites wants to clarify that Coach Self did not suffer a heart attack as reported by some media. He arrived at the emergency department last night and underwent a standard procedure that went well. He is expected to make a full recovery.”
West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins and his team lost to Kansas 78-61, but according to the West Virginia head coach, they did not do anything differently without Self being there.
“I don’t think they did anything different,” Huggins said of Kansas’ game plan without Self. “Bill’s one of the great coaches really of all-time. When you stop and think about it, he’s a Hall of Fame guy for a reason, he’s won countless games at Kansas. They’ve been at the top of the ladder year, after year, after year, after year.”
Huggins and Self have a long-standing history which includes Self being the guest speaker at the Bob Huggins Fish Fry event.
“I’m planning on calling him. I kind of need to find out from his guys when’s a good time. I don’t want to make a call or do whatever that’s not in his best interest. I want to do what’s in his best interest,” Huggins said. “I’m sure at some point in time, we’ll talk. He and I talk.”
Huggins has had a few health scares of his own, including in 2017, when he fell down during a game.
“I’ve been through those things and it’s not any fun,” Huggins said. “Especially, I think it’d be really hard for Bill this time of year because of them trying to make another fun for a National Championship and with him being in the state he is in now, I would think that would be very difficult on him. He’s a great competitor, a tremendous competitor.”
Finally, Huggins said he wants what is best for Self and his health moving forward.
“I want Bill to get well,” Huggins said. “I want to say as soon as he can, but really I think what I need to say or mean to say is, I want him to come out of there the way he’s always been.”
Photo from AP Photo
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