Bill Self earns Legends of Coaching honor

University of Kansas head basketball coach Bill Self, who has coached the Jayhawks since 2003, will be awarded the John R. Wooden Award's "Legends of Coaching" honor, according to the Big 12.

The honor is given to coaches based on character, success on the court, graduation rates and coaching philosophies. Self, who previously coached at Oral Roberts, Tulsa and Illinois, was the recipient of the Naismith College Coach of the Year award in 2012 and coached Kansas to the Final Four in 2008 and 2012. The Jayhawks won the NCAA Tournament in 2008.

Said Self:

"This is a great honor and humbling, but non-deserving; plus it's a legends which makes me sound even older than what I am," Self said. "I had a chance to meet Coach Wooden and get to know him fairly well back in the year 2000 because of an award we received. Cindy and I were able to spend a weekend with him and his family. That was a cool experience. To be thought of in this regard with some of the coaches that have won this in the past is pretty humbling."

Kansas opens the season on Oct. 30 against Emporia State.