“It’s still just coaching”: Kansas HC Bill Self shares his take after Tony Bennett’s retirement

Kansas coach Bill Self shared his thoughts on Tony Bennett's sudden retirement from coaching last week. Bennett, who led Virginia to a national championship, stepped down from his position last week citing the current college landscape, with NIL and the transfer portal, as the main reason.

During his retirement press conference, Bennett felt he was "no longer the best coach to lead this program in this current environment."

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo is among many veteran coaches who also shared similar sentiments regarding the state of Division I basketball.

During Kansas' Late Night in the Phog event at Allen Fieldhouse on Friday, Self was asked if he still enjoys coaching despite all the recent shifts and changes in the sport.

"I’m still having fun," Bill said per Zagsblog. It beats work. I think there’s some things about it that [Bennett’s] right on point with a lot of that stuff. I didn’t hear him say anything that wasn’t on point. But I do think it will balance out. I do think there’s going to be going to be a balance at some point in time.

"To me coaching right now today isn’t any different than it was five years ago, he added. "It’s the recruiting ... But the guys that are here, we won’t have any issues with that. So the issue will be jealousy in the locker room and stuff like that. But from my vantage point, it’s still just coaching guys.

Bill Self discusses Kansas' roster ahead of new season

Bill Self, a two-time national champion coach, had a disappointing season with Kansas last year. The Jayhawks finished fifth in the Big 12 and got knocked out in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

However, with several changes in the squad this offseason, Self is confident about his team's chances this year. During an interview with Bleacher Report on Wednesday, he provided insights into the Jayhawks' new-look roster:

"I like it. I think it’s a good roster and I’ve said all along, I would like to have eight starters," Self said. "And when I say eight starters, eight starters that are good enough in a major college game that they can play 20 and 25 minutes. And I do think we have that."

Serious talents like AJ Storr, Zeke Mayo, Rylan Griffen and Noah Shelby joined Bill Self's team this summer from the transfer. Flory Bidunga, a five-star prospect, also committed to Kansas, while star big man Hunter Dickinson returned for his fifth year.