LAWRENCE — Bill Self had more than just college basketball to talk about Monday, Dec. 22, when he met with reporters postgame after a 90-61 win against Davidson inside Allen Fieldhouse.
Self, Kansas basketball’s head coach for more than 20 years, also reacted to the news the Kansas City Chiefs are going to be crossing the state line and making the state of Kansas the NFL organization’s home in the near future. That’s set to start with the 2031 season, and Self thinks it’s awesome that this is happening.
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“I also think it’s pretty amazing, and I’m not politically connected, nor do I have a real opinion about it at all, but it seems like in the last four or five years there’s been a lot of good things happening to Kansas,” Self said. “A lot. I mean, with businesses moving here and all that stuff. And I think that’s a credit to our leadership, obviously, the governor. So, I think it’s fantastic. I’m excited about it, which I think all Kansas should be excited about it. I’m sure there’s some people across the state line that probably don’t feel that same sentiment.”
Self added: “I won’t be coaching here, so I won’t benefit from it. But the bottom line is — what is it going to be, like six years from now? So, the bottom line is it’s great for the state, though. I would think it’s great.”
When it comes to Self’s comment about not coaching here when that new era of the Kansas City Chiefs begins, it should be noted that in the past Self has already talked about how he’s closer to the end of his career than the start of it. But even with that, he hasn’t pinpointed a certain number of years left when he has talked about his future. His 2025-26 team just wrapped up non-conference play with a 10-3 record and is currently ranked No. 17 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
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Here are a few more takeaways from the win against Davidson.
What Bill Self saw from the turnover numbers vs Davidson
Against Davidson, Kansas scored 27 points off of 16 turnovers while allowing 21 points off of 15 of its own turnovers. It’s only a slight advantage, but there was something that stood out to Self. Included in those 16 turnovers the Jayhawks’ defense forced were 13 steals, including a team-high four from senior guard Tre White.
Why that caught Self’s eye is because, through the first 13 games of the season, KU is only averaging a little more than five steals per game. He thought his players were more active with their hands defensively, which led to more opportunities in transition. Freshman guard Kohl Rosario mentioned something similar, highlighting that their identity that game was their defense and it led to their offense.
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What Jamari McDowell thought of 6 KU players finishing in double figures scoring
Six players finished in double figures scoring for the Jayhawks against Davidson, making this the first time that’s happened for KU this season. That includes all five starters, as well as Rosario off of the bench. White and sophomore forward Flory Bidunga led the way with 18 points each.
Redshirt sophomore guard Jamari McDowell, who had 10 points and was one of those starters, felt the potential for a night like that always exists. It’s just a matter of time for when it’s going to happen. Seated next to Rosario as he spoke, McDowell said the two of them believe in each other and every teammate supports each other, too.
These two points of emphasis in practice showed up against Davidson
For one, Kansas is playing with more of the pace that Self wants to see offensively. From Rosario’s perspective, it’s about matching the level of pace senior guard Melvin Council Jr. competes at. That’s been happening more of late, and especially so against Davidson.
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Secondly, execution has been better on that end, too. McDowell acknowledged that there have been games earlier this season when it was clear people weren’t on the same page offensively. Although the defense has been there, he knows they still have to be able to score, so there’s some confidence that can be gained from how they put it all together against Davidson.
Dec. 22, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas; Kansas basketball coach Bill Self reacts to a call during a game against Davidson at Allen Fieldhouse.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Bill Self talks NFL Kansas City Chiefs move to Kansas in 2031
