Kansas basketball coach Bill Self is on the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ballot for the first time.
The Hall of Fame announced eligible candidates for the Class of 2017 on Wednesday, which also marked the 125th anniversary of the game's invention by James Naismith, who spent the final 40 years of his life working at the University of Kansas.
A news conference announcing the finalists will be held on Feb. 18, during the NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans. The class will be announced on April 3 at the Final Four in Glendale, Ariz.
Self was among 45 coaches and players listed as North American Committee nominations.
Among other nominees with regional ties are former Purdue coach Gene Keady from Larned, Kan.; former Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton from Bucklin, Kan.; and Cotton Fitzsimmons, who coached at Kansas State, Moberly (Mo.) Community College and the Kansas City Kings of the NBA.
Also nominated by the veterans committee is Warren Jabali, the former star at Central High who went on to play for Wichita State and in the ABA.
Self is 602-189 in 24 seasons, including 395-84 in 14 seasons at Kansas. His 2008 team won the NCAA championship and the 2012 team finished as runner-up.
His Kansas teams have won 12 straight Big 12 championships.
