Kansas’ Bill Self now highest-paid coach after amended deal

Kansas coach Bill Self has signed an amended five-year contract — set up to be effectively a lifetime deal — that makes him the highest-paid coach in college basketball, sources told ESPN.

Self’s new contract will see him make more than $13 million in compensation for the 2023-24 season and $53 million over the next five years, surpassing Kentucky’s John Calipari as the highest-paid coach in the country.

Kansas announced the new contract Tuesday but did not disclose financial terms.

“Bill Self is undoubtedly the most consistent coach in college basketball, and a restructuring of his contract terms were long overdue,” said athletic director Travis Goff. “In an ever-changing collegiate athletics environment, our strong commitment to Coach Self positions KU basketball to maintain and enhance its status as the most storied program in the country.”

The Jayhawks, who enter the 2023-24 season as the preseason No. 1 team, have enjoyed significant success under Self’s leadership, including back-to-back 1-seeds and a 2022 NCAA tournament victory.

Self is expected to reach 800 career wins this season, having already secured two national championships and 20 league titles — including 13 straight Big 12 championships.

“I am very appreciative to Chancellor [Douglas] Girod, Travis Goff and the entire KU leadership team for their continued belief and confidence in me and my staff to lead this storied program,” Self said.

The FBI investigation into college basketball, which ensnared Kansas’ men’s basketball program in 2017, was recently resolved, with Self avoiding further punishment and the program avoiding a postseason ban.

In April 2021, Self signed his initial lifetime contract with the school, which includes unique stipulations and a guaranteed salary. Kansas has begun their season with a win and will continue to showcase their prowess in upcoming games.