Where did Bill Self coach before KU? All we know about Kentucky HC's coaching career

Bill Self’s career as the Kansas Jayhawks basketball coach has many beautiful highlights that Kansas fans hold very dearly. Under Self’s leadership, the Jayhawks have become a dominant force, not only in the Big 12 but also nationally.

Self has led the Jayhawks for so long some fans may have forgotten that he’s coached somewhere else before. But where did the Hall of Fame coach before making his way to Kansas?

Where did Bill Self coach before KU?

Bill Self coached at Illinois, Oral Roberts, and Tulsa before his tenure at Kansas. Before landing his first head coaching role at Oral Roberts in 1993, Self had a stint at Kansas as an assistant coach under Larry Brown in the mid-80s. From Kansas, he took a similar role at Oklahoma State from 1986 to 1993.

When Self got hired by Oral Roberts in 1993, the program was in a struggling phase. His first season in charge ended with only six wins. However, Self gradually improved the quality of the program and by his third season led the team to an 18-9 record.

With a 21-7 record in the 1996-97 season, the Golden Eagles secured a place in the National Invitational Tournament. It was the team’s first post-season tournament appearance in 13 years.

Having restored the basketball program at Oral Roberts to a level of stability, Self left to join cross-city rivals, Tulsa after the 1996-97 season. He replicated this efficient coaching at Tulsa, leading the Golden Hurricane to two consecutive NCAA tournaments in 1999 and 2000. Self led the team as far as the Elite Eight in 2000. It was Tulsa’s first-ever Elite Eight appearance.

Self was snatched from Tulsa by Illinois who had just lost Lon Kruger’s services to the Atlanta Hawks. In his first season coaching the Fighting Illini, they ended the season with a 27-8 record and a share of the Big Ten title.

The team also advanced to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament before falling to eventual finalist, Arizona.

Self coached the Fighting Illini for another two seasons before he was hired by Kansas in 2003 to replace Roy Williams. It was a full cycle for Self, returning to Kansas, where he started out his coaching career.

After 20 years in charge of the Jayhawks, he has transformed into a legendary figure in the program’s history. How many more years can Self spend coaching the Jayhawks?