Bill Self is a renowned basketball coach who has been with the Kansas Jayhawks for the past 19 seasons. In that time, he has led the team to 16 Big 12 regular-season championships, four NCAA Final Four appearances, and two NCAA championships in 2008 and 2022. Self is a Hall of Fame coach who has left an indelible mark on the sport. In this article, we take a closer look at his contract, salary, buyout, and net worth.
Contract and Salary
Self’s current contract is a rolling five-year deal that automatically adds an extra year to the agreement after each season. He signed this contract on March 31, 2021, after completing his 18th season as head coach.
Kansas announced today that Bill Self has signed a lifetime contract with the Jayhawks.
His current contract is being replaced with a new five-year rolling agreement that automatically adds one year at the conclusion of each season for the remainder of his career. pic.twitter.com/XZgCvxaTFO
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 2, 2021
The deal consists of guaranteed compensation that totals $5.41 million per year, which includes a $225,000 base salary, a $2.75 million professional services contract, and an annual $2.435 million retention bonus.
Incentives and Perks
In addition to his base salary, Self also has numerous incentives and perks.
His contract has several potential incentive payments, including:
- $50,000 for winning the Big 12 regular-season
- $25,000 for winning the Big 12 tournament
- $100,000 for being named AP Coach of the Year
- $50,000 for making an NCAA tournament appearance
- $100,000 for making a Sweet 16 appearance
- $150,000 for making a Final Four appearance
- $200,000 for winning a National Championship.
These amounts are cumulative and do not override each other.
Self’s perks include:
- Life insurance policy worth $4 million
- $20,000 per month for his family’s travel to road games
- Suite at football games
- Memberships at the Alvamar Country Club and Lawrence Golf Club.
Buyout
Self’s buyout is also an essential part of his contract. If Kansas fires Self without cause, the university owes him one year’s compensation plus the amortized amount of the annual retention bonus dating from the contract’s signing date to the termination date.
This buyout amount could be anywhere from $5.41 million to $7.845 million. It’s worth noting that Self cannot be fired with cause for violations that occurred before his current contract.
Net Worth
Self’s net worth is reportedly upwards of $20 million, which he acquired through his coaching career. He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Kansas in 1985 before moving on to coach at Oral Roberts, Tulsa, Illinois, and eventually returning to Kansas as the head coach.
In his time at Kansas, Self has transformed the basketball program into a national powerhouse, winning numerous championships and establishing himself as one of the greatest coaches of all time. It is fair to say, he has earned his money.
