In its 111 year history, Kansas basketball has had coaches ranging from the notable (James Naismith, inventor of basketball) to the not-so-notable (Karl Schlademan, who coached just one game in his entire career). The following is a chronological list of every coach who ever coached a game for the crimson and blue.

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History of Kansas coaches

The coaches are listed in chronological order.

Dr. James “Doc” Naismith

1898-1907; 55-60, .478 win percentage

Even though he remains the only coach in Jayhawk history to finish his career with a losing record, Naismith laid the foundation for Kansas basketball in his nine years at the school. Naismith, who invented basketball in 1891, helmed just one program in his life, starting Kansas basketball in 1898. Naismith lost his first game, but won his second. In the crowd for that first victory in Kansas history was a young man by the name of Forrest Clare Allen.

Dr. Forrest clare “Phog” Allen

1907-1909, 1919-1956; 590-219, .729 win percentage

“Phog” Allen’s name has lived long past the man as it now adorns the arena Kansas basketball calls home. In 39 years as Kansas’ coach Allen went 590-219, ending his career with a .729 winning percentage. Allen took over the program in 1907, coached two seasons and then took a decade-long hiatus before returning in 1919 to coach the Jayhawks for the next 37 seasons. He won two Helms Foundation National Championships in 1922 and 1923 and an NCAA title in 1952. In his 39 years, he had just two losing seasons. Allen coached more consensus All-Americans than any other Kansas coach with nine, including most notably Clyde Lovellette.

W.O. Hamilton

1909-1919; 125-59, .679 win percentage

Hamilton took the helm at Kansas during Allen’s 10-year break from coaching, leading the Jayhawks to a 125-59 record in his time as head coach. Hamilton coached two consensus All-Americans in Dutch Lonborg and Ralph Sproull. His first season he coached the Jayhawks to an 18-1 record and the first of his three Missouri Valley Conference titles.

Karl Schlademan

1919; 1-0, 1.000 win percentage

Schlademan supplanted Phog Allen for just one game in the 1919 season and picked up a victory. Schlademan went on to coach Washington State for two years, amassing an 18-27 record.

Howard Engleman

1946-1947; 8-6, .571 win percentage

Engleman, like Schlademan, took over for Allen when he took a brief hiatus in 1946-1947. A consensus All-American under Allen in 1941, Engelman went 8-6 in 14 games as his replacement.

Dick Harp

1956-1964; 121-82, .596 win percentage

Harp was the coach in what was likely the most heartbreaking loss in Kansas history; a triple-overtime defeat to North Carolina in the 1957 NCAA title game. That was also the signature game in the collegiate career of the greatest player in Kansas history: Wilt Chamberlain.

Ted Owens

1964-1983; 348-182, .657 win percentage

Owens presided over the last losing season in Kansas basketball history in his 1982-1983 campaign. Owens’ best years came early in his career when he coached All-American Jo Jo White and the Jayhawks to consecutive NCAA tournaments in 1966 and 1967.

Larry Brown

1983-1988; 135-44, .754 winning percentage

Brown’s reign was brief but undeniably successful. He won the 1988 National Championship with current assistant coach Danny Manning in the starring role before leaving to coach the San Antonio Spurs. Brown uttered the famous lines that open Kansas’ pregame video: “There’s no better place to coach. There’s no better place to go to school. There’s no better place to play.”

Roy Williams

1988-2003; 418-101, .805 winning percentage

Williams presided over one of the most successful stretches in Kansas basketball history, taking the Jayhawks to the NCAA tournament in every season save his first, when they were banned from postseason play due to recruiting violations committed under Brown. Williams’ depature for his alma mater caused a little drama in Lawrence, but there’s no questioning his role as one of the best to coach at the school.

Bill Self

2003-current; 170-40, .810 winning percentage

Self has become a beloved figure since taking over the Kansas program in 2003 following Williams’ contentious exit. In his seven years at the helm, Self has amassed the highest winning percentage in school history (minimum two games coached). He also won the school’s fifth and most recent National Championship and has the Jayhawks primed as the favorites to win another this year.

— Edited by Taylor Bern