Bill Self has been recognized as the top men’s college basketball coach of the 2000s, according to a new ranking by The Athletic. Self claimed the No. 1 spot on a list highlighting the 25 best men’s college basketball coaches of the century.

The criteria for climbing to the top consisted of total wins, conference titles, conference tournament championships, NCAA tournament appearances, Final Fours and national titles.

Longevity clearly factored into this list as well, and it’s an area Self can lean on. Having a lifetime contract with Kansas certainly helps in that regard, but he’s earned it.

Entering his 23rd season with the Jayhawks, you can make the argument Self is the greatest regular season men’s college coach of all time.

With 702 wins, Self averages a staggering 28 per season.

At one point Self led the Jayhawks to 17 Big 12 titles in 20 seasons.

Including his first two this century, which came at Illinois, his 19 regular season conference titles are only out done by eight high-major schools.

As coaches go, Roy Williams is second to Self in the top 25 and is eight behind Self with 11 conference titles in the 2000s.

When looking at March and April, Self has not missed the NCAA Tournament this century. Every other coach in the top six of the list has missed it at least once (Roy Williams, Mike Krzyzewski, Jay Wright, Rick Pitino and Billy Donovan).

His team’s have been No. 1 seeds 11 times and made it to four Final Fours, winning two national titles in 2008 and 2022.

Even after an uncharacteristic 2024–25 season, Kansas can rest assured it still has the game’s best at the helm.