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Interesting. Probably a good choice to replace Norm.

KC Star...

Will KU Jayhawks great Vaughn join Bill Self’s coaching staff?'

He visited Tuesday

By Gary Bedore Updated May 7, 2025 4:51 PM

Former Kansas basketball point guard Jacque Vaughn, who coached the NBA’s Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets after his 12 years as a player in the league, was in Lawrence Tuesday to visit with Jayhawks head coach Bill Self about possibly filling the opening on KU’s coaching staff, The Star has learned. Vaughn, 50, who played at KU for four seasons (1993-94 through 96-97) and had his jersey No. 11 hung in the Allen Fieldhouse rafters on Dec. 31, 2002, met with Self and visited with staff members about perhaps becoming the replacement for Norm Roberts, who announced his retirement Monday after 14 seasons at KU and 37 total years in the business. A source close to the KU program told The Star that Vaughn would be a valuable addition to KU because of his vast knowledge of the NBA and NBA style of play. As a former standout point guard in both the pros and college, he also could speed the developmental progress of incoming point guard sensation Darryn Peterson, who is expected to start from day one at KU.

@DanR love it. Big fan of Vaughn and makes a ton of sense imo.

@DanR said in Jacque Vaughn... Thoughts?:

" Vaughn, 50, who played at KU for four seasons "

This is a lie. Or at least a misprint. Nobody has ever stuck with a college team for four years. Unless his NIL money was better than what he could make in the NBA.

Sorry. I'm just feeling that way today. Love me some Jacque Vaughn.

I think Jacque would be solid as an asst here What I can't believe is that from TOS there are some whine babies already bitching about even the most remote possibility of this happening talking about they would never want him

I swear to GOD ther are some people no matter what they are going to find something to Bitch about you could drop 20 million in their lap they have mansion 15 bedroom 20 bath sitting on a 500 acres piece of ground and driving a Bentley , Mercedes , Jaguar and any other type of hoopie doo vehicle and they would still bitch, Jacque Vaughn would be just fine

I just asked it on another thread, but will ask here. If Self was coach in 94 or whenever Jacque was coming out of HS would he have recruited Vaughn?

@wissox Is that your way of asking if Roy was the better recruiter.

@nuleafjhawk said in Jacque Vaughn... Thoughts?:

@wissox Is that your way of asking if Roy was the better recruiter.

Impossible. Roy handcuffed himself while here. No recruits east of the Mississippi River.

@wissox Everyone was recruiting Vaughn. He was a stud. Top 10 recruit, second ranked point guard. Don’t know if Bill would have gotten him, but I’m guessing he would’ve at least made a flier.

@dylans Is there something mystical about the "East"? Roy had way better recruits

@nuleafjhawk No championship without Russell Robinson. So yes there is for me.

If Roy had way better recruits the results are more lack luster. But I don’t feels that is true. Seems that bill might be the slightly better recruiter. I quit following Roy once he went back to unc. Roy sure didn’t hesitate to recruit west of the Mississippi and compete with Kansas for recruits, unlike the respect he paid UNC.

Vaughn is an excellent selection to replace Roberts! I feel certain he will help in every area… recruiting, development, game/practice coaching, team structure/strategy… and YES he is potentially a future replacement for Self! He is perfect to help modernize our program through all the current challenges!

@dylans he was also green as hell when he moved to Kansas. Time and experience jaded him. Like all of us.

@nuleafjhawk It's an interesting question. In terms of producing top NBA talent, I'd give the nod to Roy....a very slight nod. Hard to argue with Pierce, Raef, Jacque, Pollard, Kirk, Nick C, and Gooden. Selfs best of course won him 2 rings, but are slightly less strong overall NBA guys...maybe?

Pierce / Embiid

Reaf / Wiggins

Kirk / Chalmers

Pollard / Morris

Collison / Morris

Gooden / Oubre Jr.

Jacque / Braun

Walters / Selden

Simien /Dick 😂

Just by points per game Bill’s guys actually crush Roy’s. Not sure the best way to qualify it though.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/colleges.cgi?college=kansas ↗

@dylans That is surprising given Roy's uptempo style

@Jhawk69 I agree. I could actually stay awake during Roy's reign.

@nuleafjhawk Maybe because you weren’t past your prime then? (Edit I am too) Roy’s guys never won anything for KU due to terrible defense, sorry you’re missing out! The last 20 years have been the best basketball the university of Kansas has ever seen. Sorry you’re just now waking up, it appears the prime years are past due to landscape shift.

If it makes you feel any better I thought it was time for Roy to leave when he did. How many years had it been since he last showed enough passion to take his jacket off at a game? He had lost his love for Kansas basketball and needed a new challenge (I doubt Roy even realized it). And yet I was still unhappy he left.

Bill is about done, but he’s making the end of career push, it’s a bit different than the middle of career lull we were getting at the end of Roy’s tenure in Lawrence. - it was the Andy Reid thing for Roy move on and grow sometimes that needs to happen. Hopefully the next coach KU hires carries the torch as well as Roy and Bill did!!!

@dylans Roy Williams had a 418-101 record and a .805 winning percentage during his 15 seasons as head coach at Kansas from 1988 to 2003. His teams were ranked in the Top 25 for 145 consecutive weeks from 1991 to 1999. He led Kansas to 14 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including two national championship games.

I guess we can look at virtually any subject and see things differently. Roy was seconds away from having 2 NC's at KU, just like Bill. IN MY OPINION - (cuz that's all we have here) his teams were more talented and fun to watch. How did he fizzle out at the end of his KU tenure? His last game was a National Championship game.

I'm not saying he was a better coach than Self (although, statistically he was - 80.5% to 80.4%) I just liked watching Roy's passion and the uptempo game that his teams played.
In the long run, Big 12 Championships are nice but don't mean a whole lot.

@nuleafjhawk But that’s all Roy won, big 8 and Big 12 championship games. I watched nearly every single single game of Roy’s and Bill’s KU tenures. I don’t remember Roy winning anything of consequence until he went to UNC. I do remember him losing to Arizona with the best basketball team I’ve seen assembled…

Now as human beings - Roy was much more approachable. He’d chat with you. I love the man. His best basketball was with UNC though.

Do you like NBA basketball? That tempo matches what you seem to prefer better. I’m ok with a defensive battle as long as there is some scoring - Virgina grind it out in the 50s and 60s is not fun for me though. Too extreme.

I agree the uptempo style is fun to watch. Kind of like passing the ball in football. But defense wins championships when combined with scoring punch.

@nuleafjhawk
I think it’s pretty obvious to see that college basketball has become way more competitive over the course of Bill’s tenure at Kansas. We also have to take into account Kansas was a Nike school during all of Roy’s time at KU. As soon as the switch happened after Bill’s first couple of big recruiting hauls, the talent level acquired was highly inconsistent. The NCAA targeting non Nike schools during investigations was a dirty trick to help the Nike brand and the schools that represented them. BS consecutive conference championships was way more impressive than anything Roy accomplished at KU. Especially with the competitiveness of the league improving by leaps and bounds. I was at the senior night game where Brandon Rush and crew beat Texas Tech 109-51 or something like that. Look where Tech is now. Roy and his teams never had to compete as consistently against the bottom dwellers of the Big12. Bill has had plenty of exciting offensive teams. I'm pretty sure KU led the nation in lobs and dunks quite often. Just ask Jay Wright and Villanova in 2008 NCAaa tournament.

Both great coaches. What a problem to have. Well it is a problem for the next guy, expectations are sky high!!! Maybe if I go back another coach - nope Brown won a national championship in his short tenure. Gonna need someone who embraces the high expectations to fill Bill’s shoes when he decides to retire.

I'm excited for Vaughn, he's literally one of the reasons I became a Jayhawk fan at a young age, his jersey hangs on my wall in my Jayhawk themed Man Cave. I'm excited what he can bring to the table here with his experience professionally. Hopefully this is finalized soon

I still can't lay the 2003 loss to the Evil Orange at Roy's feet. Unfortunately KU shot under 50% on FTs. Unlike Cal who ignored UK's problems all season in 2007-08, Roy cared about those but sometimes the balls don't go in.

@dylans Embiid, OAD, Wiggins, OAD, Chalmers 2 + national Champ, Morris both 3 years (?), Oubre OAD, Braun 3 + NC, Selden 3 years (?), Dick OAD.

Williams guys hung around enough for us to get to know them. Wish Williams guys could a made some FTs in 2003 or to me at least it's a clear cut argument in his favor.

@mayjay I wouldn't blame Coach Cal for ignoring Kentucky's problems in 2008 when he coached Memphis.

@wissox said in Jacque Vaughn... Thoughts?:

@dylans Embiid, OAD, Wiggins, OAD, Chalmers 2 + national Champ, Morris both 3 years (?), Oubre OAD, Braun 3 + NC, Selden 3 years (?), Dick OAD.

Williams guys hung around enough for us to get to know them. Wish Williams guys could a made some FTs in 2003 or to me at least it's a clear cut argument in his favor.

Oh I thought you were curious who had the better nba players. At Kansas Roy probably squandered more assembled talent than Bill has.

Roy vs Bill

4 final fours for each. Different patterns due to different recruit patterns. Roy was all or nothing on the recruiting trail - so 2 then a 9 year gap and 2 more. Bill averages a final four every 4-5 years. - wash

2 national runner ups for Roy vs 1 for Bill. -Edge Roy

2 National Championship winners for Bill. - Off the top turnbuckle Bill Self for half of KU’s NCAA championships.

Roy won 9 conference championships. So far Bill has won a record 14 straight conference championships 17 in total. - edge Bill

Number players drafted - 15 Roy. Bill - 19 current players another 17 former players. - edge Bill

Bill’s been good for KU. I hope he regains his form quickly in this altered landscape. A shakeup in the staff may invigorate him.

My basement flooded a couple weeks ago - it nearly got my Jacque Vaughn SI that’s been sitting on top of a stack of magazines since the 90s. That would’ve been a shame, but disaster averted. All I need is new carpet no sentimental attachment there. lol

@dylans This doesn't even take our 2020 team which probably deserves a championship into account

@Jhawk69 said in Jacque Vaughn... Thoughts?:

@dylans This doesn't even take our 2020 team which probably deserves a championship into account

I try to repress that memory. It still makes me ill. In a weird way it stole a lot of the fun out of the ‘22 championship for me.

@Jhawk69 By cracky, you've got a point there! I thought something was wrong and just kept looking at spelling and grammar. Didn't notice my incorrect identification of the sea in which the Squid was swimming!

Roy probably gets his ring in 97 if Jerrod Haase didn't try to play with a broken wrist. He played 14 minutes, well below his average. Only scored 3.
That game he did make 1 basket, a 3 showing it wasn't totally an impediment, but reading recently about it KU believes it was a game changer. Still the worst loss in my KU fandom, with 2003 a close 2nd.

What's different and scary (LOL) for our future is Bill Self was a no doubt about it great hire at the time. He's still the BIG's win % leader but obviously a smaller sample size (102 games). If Vaughn does become the successor as some suppose, he doesn't have this college cred on his resume. It's the unknown. Williams was a rookie HC, so there was some unknown there too of course.

@wissox Roy gets his ring if Haase doesn't break his wrist😡

Du… du haase… du hasst to see it.

@wissox Dammit. What you just said. THAT'S what I wanted to say.

@wissox nobody has a large college sample size given how different the game is post NIL. Bill had zero NBA experience, something that might have been valuable these last 3 years

@Crimsonorblue22 Larry might have had two if Archie Marshall hadn't gotten injured in 1986. Besides Haase, Roy also might have won if Capt Kirk hadn't hurt his knee. Bill, perhaps three if Embiid hadn't .....

You can go on and on with what if's! It's what makes sports fun--no season is ever over in our memories!

97 team was so good! Agree

@mayjay 3 if embiid didnt get hurt? No way man. That roster was “woof!”

So, ball is in Vaughn's court as far as taking the job. Perhaps he's negotiating some more NIL (half kidding) but hopefully some news this week there.

@mayjay said in Jacque Vaughn... Thoughts?:

@Crimsonorblue22 Larry might have had two if Archie Marshall hadn’t gotten injured in 1986. Besides Haase, Roy also might have won if Capt Kirk hadn’t hurt his knee. Bill, perhaps three if Embiid hadn’t …
You can go on and on with what if’s! It’s what makes sports fun–no season is ever over in our memories!

Bill likely scored another nattie in the Covid year. That team was a real smasher!

Embiid was never going to beat Florida that year. However, our 2019 team if Doke stays healthy and LaGerald doesn't quit the team might be another final 4 or title as well.

It getting close with Jacque vaughn and ku

@JAYHAWKFAN214 just heard that!

Done deal.

@RockkChalkk yes it officially

awesome! An all-time great back in da house.

YES!

Pretty happy about this. Difficult to be angry about misses when our staff changes and the guys we have gotten all seem like hard workers. This offseason still has the potential to be magical with lots of time remaining, but at the least it has been all positive.

Definitely feels like a potential successor to Self if Vaughn can handle the transition which I think he'll be able to.

Also really looking forward to seeing what Vaughn can do with Peterson and Elmarko Jackson's development.

I'm glad to see some jayhawk bloodline and history on the team. None of these current players are going to know crap about Jacque, but I think he'll give it his best shot.

btw, I've probably mentioned it a few hundred times, but my wife taught Jacque (great student) and BJ Thomas (punctual, but not great) in English 101 back when she was working on her PhD at KU in the 90s.

I love that we hired a former Jayhawk! I never heard you say that your wife taught him. Pretty cool. He's a cool, calm, steady smart guy.

IMHO, Vaughn didn’t come to KU to be a long term assistant. I would think this hire portends a near term Self retirement (2-3 years). Or is KU a springboard for Vaughn?

@Gorilla72 a good tryout? See how much coaching Self lets him do.

@Gorilla72 said in Jacque Vaughn... Thoughts?:

IMHO, Vaughn didn’t come to KU to be a long term assistant. I would think this hire portends a near term Self retirement (2-3 years). Or is KU a springboard for Vaughn?

Think JV chances is going to be our next Coach, I still feel Bill will hang it up after next Season. Bring JV in and get him familiar

I’m on board thinking JV is trying out to be Self’s replacement. And I support this maneuver!

@drgnslayr Could JV come be an assistant at my place of work? And take over IMMEDIATELY?

@nuleafjhawk What is your work? Coaching college basketball is something I don't understand on the hiring practices. I know some of it is political... a bit of a popularity contest. Otherwise, I think it requires visionaries to see the future when hiring. I don't trust myself to pick the next KU coach... but I like the idea of JV coming in as an assistant, and I can sense the potential of him being the next Kansas coach.

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1BtDwY3DXy/?mibextid=wwXIfr ↗

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/16hoymMKgG/?mibextid=wwXIfr ↗

@dylans music to my ears. Hunger, humility, charisma.

Looking forward to it!