Who Is Kansas Basketball Coach Bill Self And Who Is His Wife?

Bill Self has an impressive resume from working as the head coach for the University of Kansas men's basketball program for 19 seasons, per The Washington Post. The Jayhawks hold the record for the most wins out of any men's college program ever. And Self has impressively set his team up for success, leading them to three NCAA national championship games in his career so far. Additionally, Self has landed himself a small fortune for his efforts and currently ranks as the nation's highest-paid men's basketball coach, according to USA Today. He reportedly chimed in $10.2 million just for working the 2021-22 season.

The head coach will have many years to help the Jayhawks win more championships, as Self signed a lifetime contract with Kansas in April 2021. His forever deal is seemingly is off to a good start, as the Jayhawks made it to the final game of the 2022 NCAA National Championship after beating out Villanova on April 2, winning 81-65, per The Kansas City Star. Self called their win "unbelievable," and now the Jayhawks are set to face North Carolina on April 4 for a chance at this year's championship title. 

But the Jayhawks' success hasn't happened without the support of Self's wife, Cindy Self, who's also known to be the team's No. 1 supporter and fan, per The U.S. Sun. Cindy is frequently shown during broadcasts of games, and some are wondering who the coach's wife is beyond the screen.   

Kansas Jayhawks fans have probably noticed a particular supporter in the crowd cheering on Bill Self as the team's head coach. His wife of 33 years, Cindy Self, has always been a strong backer of her husband's immense success on the basketball court. Per The U.S. Sun, The couple wed in 1988 and share a daughter Lauren and a son Tyler together. Fan Buzz reports that Cindy and Bill dated for four years before officially tying the knot. The two met in the mid-'80s when Cindy was a cheerleader and Bill, to no surprise, was a basketball player at Oklahoma State University.

Bill and Cindy have gone through some public turmoil, though. In 2013, KC Confidential, an unfiltered news website, reported the Jayhawks' head coach allegedly cheated, and the pair's marriage was on the rocks. Cindy allegedly kicked Bill out of their family home in Lawrence, Kansas for some time. His affair was deemed the "talk of the town" and was rumored to be with a neighbor. However, the couple has since reconciled.

As her husband has climbed to fame from his coaching duties with the Jayhawks over the past two decades, Cindy has tried to keep mostly private. But she can't stay away from the spotlight entirely, as the cameras love to show her reaction to what's happening on the court. However, Cindy plays a key role off the court as well.

Although Kansas fans might feel like they slightly know who Cindy Self is from her frequent appearances at games, she's mostly stayed out of the spotlight since her husband, Bill Self, became head coach in 2003. In 2007, Bill called Cindy "a perfect coach's wife" who "is independent but always there to focus on the team and our family," per KU Sports. "One of the most important roles Cindy provides for the boys is that she is a constant in their lives." Bill added, "... she is there for all of us."  

The Jayhawks' head coach also stated that his wife is a big asset to the team off the court, adding that she constantly gives "the guys support" and provides a "motherly touch." The head coach explained that team members often get homesick, and Cathy is the person in whom they can confide. He also thanked his wife of more than three decades for understanding the "time constraints" that come with running a top-ranked program. During a period of bad games throughout the 2013-14 season, Bill said it was a text from his wife that helped him stay positive.

And we're sure Cathy will be cheering extra loud from the crowd on April 4, as the No. 1 ranked Jayhawks take on the North Carolina Tar Heels in the NCAA tournament national championship game.