Memphis Grizzlies: 5 College Coaches To Interview For Head Coaching Job
By Chris Kern
Bill Self
Bill Self is probably the most realistic option on this list. With all the drama surrounding the Kansas basketball program, he certainly could consider making the jump. There have been rumors about it happening over the past few years and the time for him to do it is right now.
He has come out and shut down those rumors, but still, anything could happen. His resume he has built up at Kansas is truly special. He is one of the best college coaches in the country and certainly has what it takes to succeed in the NBA.
Self won a national title at Kansas in 2008 and led them to 14 straight Big 12 regular season titles. You can say what you want about the competition in that league or the lack of another consistent program at the top, but the Big 12 is consistently a top three conference so that is an amazing accomplishment.
He also had three other stops before arriving at Kansas which included Oral Roberts, Tulsa, and Illinois. He has an overall record of 680-211 which includes his record of 473-106 since arriving at Kansas.
His teams have been loaded with pro talent in his coaching career and he has done a good job, for the most part, developing these guys and getting them ready for the next level. Some guys such as Xavier Henry and Thomas Robinson haven’t lived up to expectations, but he has helped many players achieve their dreams of making a living in the NBA.
Some of the notable NBA players he has coached who have had a lot of success have been Deron Williams, Mario Chalmers, Joel Embiid, and Andrew Wiggins. These players have been very successful in the NBA just as they were during their time with Coach Self in college.
He has had success with good post players at Kansas and that’s how he could be effective with the Grizzlies. Jaren Jackson Jr. is the building block, but he would also help with Jonas Valanciunas‘ development.
Self prefers two big lineups in college and that’s why he could have success if the Grizzlies do want to keep the Jackson and Valanciunas pairing long-term then Self could be an option. His experience will smaller lineups in recent years makes him well suited for those as well which are a big part of today’s NBA.