🚨 Breaking: Norm Roberts Retiring

• 🏀 Breaking: Norm Roberts steps down

• 🔒🏀 Major recruiting developments

Support The Hearings by sending this to KU friends and fam. Was this forwarded to you? Subscribe here.

EVERYTHING IN THIS NEWSLETTER IS BASED UPON WHAT I AM HEARING FROM PEOPLE I TRUST. PLEASE DO NOT MISTAKE THIS FOR FACT OR FOR ACTUAL JOURNALISM, WHICH HAS VERIFICATION STANDARDS THAT I HAVE NOT ADHERED TO. I DO NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT.

Kansas basketball’s bench will officially look different next season.

The Jayhawks announced longtime assistant coach Norm Roberts is retiring after 14 years at Kansas and 22 with Bill Self. It’s the first of a series of staff moves that KU is likely to make this offseason.

See KU’s announcement here.

Since the year ended, I’ve been Hearing about staff changes coming for Kansas. Multiple sources have indicated there's been donor pressure behind the scenes for a staff shakeup.

After years of remarkable consistency, the feeling was that things had started to go stale. There's been a push for Bill Self to change things up.

⏭️ WHAT I'M WATCHING NEXT

• I’m Hearing Kansas will hire at least one new assistant coach.

• Don't be surprised if KU moves fast. I believe this plan has been in motion since the end of the season

• I'm Hearing KU has identified its guy. But candidly, I don't know who that is… yet

• I've Heard Bill Self has spoken with assistants who have Big 12 experience, but I’m not sure if those conversations materialized

• Either way, I don't think the search will take long

🔍 THE ROBERTS LEGACY

• Self's longtime confidant: From their first pairing at Oral Roberts through stops at Tulsa and Illinois, before two stints at Kansas spanning 22 years

• Major coaching career: Native New Yorker who served six seasons as St. John's head coach between his Kansas tenures

• Steady hand: Stepped in as acting head coach during critical moments, notably during the 2022 NCAA Tournament while Self was sidelined

• Embiid Recruitment: Had a number of big recruiting moments, including “urging” Bill Self to watch an underrated Joel Embiid play as a high schooler

• Calming presence: Known for his measured sideline demeanor that complemented Self's more animated coaching style

Norm's retirement marks the end of an era. He brought continuity, recruiting wins, and a steady influence through both the good and challenging years.

It’s more than just a coaching change for KU. It’s an acknowledgment that what worked for 20 years might need tweaking going forward. 

There’s no need to wonder: Self’s long-standing system and staff will look a little different next year.

Help Spread the Word:

Tell your friends about today’s Hearing by copy and pasting this link into your group texts or on social media.

Today in VIP: Major Recruiting Hearings

Adding even more from the latest VIP Scoops text.

Get the latest on Dame Sarr and Darrion Williams. 👇