By DAREN DUNN
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — In the last 17 years, the University of Kansas men's basketball program has entered the NCAA Tournament with an average seed of 1.6.
Bill Self's teams have won two national championships (2008, 2022) and played for another (2012) in that span.
The nine-time conference coach of the year said winning is different when fans expect titles every year.
"Winning is a relief," Self said. "Winning becomes a relief and losing is a disaster."
Self spoke in the Hutchinson Sports Arena Tuesday for the Dillon Lecture Series (DLS) about what it takes to be successful. He also addressed how to achieve more after a goal is reached.
Self asked for the Wichita State fans to make some noise. A few did.
He asked for the K-State fans to make some noise. The crowd got a little louder.
As the applause faded, Self told those fans they could kindly leave.
All joking aside, Self praised the success of not just Kansas teams, but all collegiate teams because "Iron sharpens iron."
"It raises the bar for everybody," Self said. "We should be great because someone else is good."
Self is the sixth member of the Naismith Hall of Fame to speak for the DLS, now in its 42nd season.
He outlined what it took to be successful with so much pressure.
"Show up," Self said. "Be fully present. Be a caretaker and contributor."
Self noted he is the chief caretaker of the most prestigious and storied program in the nation, but urged attendees to apply that same drive to their every-day job and life.
"When's the last time you were just present?" Self asked. "When was the last time you were at the dinner table and didn't look at your phone?"
Self outlined the culture change at KU that led to championships and added success. "The less we have to coach, the better we'll be," Self said of his teams that have been player-led.
He said many of those same concepts can be utilized in daily life.
"Add fun to what's going on," Self said. "We've got to enjoy each other. We have to energize a place."
"It's our responsibility to make sure we add value to everyone else," Self noted.
"Have a culture to make everyone better," Self said.
"Acknowledge what you don't know. Become a sponge," Self said to the youth in attendance.
According to Self, the great Henry Iba was a sponge. As an assistant at Oklahoma State, Self was in charge of chauffeuring Iba.
Self once made a comment about another coach that was not positive. "Can you believe this coach did that?" Self asked Iba.
"Let me tell you something," Iba responded. "A broken clock is right twice a day."
Self implored the youth of the audience to listen to their parents.
"Even as a young person, you might think your parents aren't nearly as smart as you," Self said, but he once again used Iba's example of the clock: It's still right two times a day.
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