The University of Kansas' men's basketball team plays at the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the Big 12 Conference. The men's basketball program officially began in 1898, following the arrival of Dr. James Naismith to the school, just six years after Naismith had written the sport's first official rules. Kansas has had only eight head coaches in the 128 years of basketball at the University of Kansas.
Years Duration of head coaching career at KansasRecord Number of career games won-lost at KansasPercent Percentage of games won at Kansas Years Coach Record Percent Notes and honors 1898–1907 Dr. James Naismith 55–60 .478 Retired • Inventor of the game of Basketball • Only Coach in Kansas Basketball history with a losing record 1907–1909, 1919–1956 Dr. Forrest "Phog" Allen 590–219 .729 Retired• Known as the "Father Of Basketball Coaching" for his innovations of the modern game • Created the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) • Successfully lobbied to make the game of basketball an Olympic sport • Helped to create the modern NCAA tournament, which began in 1939 • 1952 NCAA Championship • 1922 and 1923 Helms Championships • 1940 and 1953 Final Fours • 24 Conference regular season championships (1908, 1909, 1922–1927, 1931–1934, 1936–1938, 1940–1943, 1946, 1950, 1952–1954) • Inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame in 1959 • Inducted into College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 1909–1919 William O. Hamilton 125–59 .679 Resigned • 5 Conference regular season championships (1910, 1911, 1912, 1914, 1915) 1956–1964 Dick Harp 121–82 .596 Resigned • 1957 Final Four • 2 Conference regular season championships (1957, 1960) 1964–1983 Ted Owens 348–182 .657 Fired • 1971 and 1974 Final Fours • 6 Conference regular season championships (1966, 1967, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1978) • 1 Conference tournament championship (1981) • 1978 Basketball Weekly Coach of the Year 1983–1988 Larry Brown 135–44 .754 Accepted position as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs • 1988 NCAA Championship • 1986 Final Four • 1 Conference regular season championship (1986) • 2 Conference tournament championships (1984, 1986) • 1988 Naismith College Coach of the Year • Inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002 • Inducted into College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 1988–2003 Roy Williams 418–101 .805 Accepted position as head coach at North Carolina • 1991, 1993, 2002, 2003 Final Fours • 9 Conference regular season championships (1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003) • 4 Conference tournament championships (1992, 1997, 1998, 1999) • 1990 Henry Iba Award Coach of the Year • 1992 AP Coach of the Year • 1997 Naismith College Coach of the Year • Inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007 • Inducted into College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 2003–present Bill Self 634–167 • 2008 and 2022 NCAA Championship • 2012 and 2018 Final Fours • 14 Consecutive Conference regular season championships and 16 Regular season Conference Championships Overall (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022) • 8 Conference tournament championships (2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2022) • 2009 and 2016 AP Coach of the Year • 2016 National Association of Basketball Coaches Coach of the Year • 2016 USA Today National Coach of the Year • 2016 Bleacher Report's National Coach of the Year • 2012 Naismith College Coach of the Year • 2013 John R. Wooden Award Legends of Coaching Award • 2012 Adolph Rupp Cup • 2009 Henry Iba Award for Coach of the Year • 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2018 Big 12 Conference Men's Basketball Coach of the Year • 2006, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2016 AP Big 12 Coach of the Year • Inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017
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