The coaching carousel stopped spinning several weeks ago for the majority of the country, but head coaching moves aren’t the only thing we’re keeping an eye on. Recent rule changes increased the size of D1 coaching staffs and have led to a further influx of coaching talent in this sport, and that’s definitely on display in Lawrence, Kansas.

That latest news from Kansas comes as former NBA head coach Jacque Vaughn has accepted a post as an assistant coach on Bill Self’s staff. The former Jayhawk played at Kansas for Roy Williams back in the early 90’s before an extensive career in the NBA as both a player and coach. He now becomes the newest member of this Blue Blood’s talented coaching staff.

Vaughn earned Big 8 Player of the Year honors as a junior and was twice an All-American during a prosperous stretch with the Jayhawks. He was a late first round pick in the 1997 NBA Draft and spent the next twelve years playing for five franchises. His numbers in the NBA never jumped off the page but he did win a championship as a member of the San Antonio Spurs back in 2007.

Not long after his retirement, Vaughn was brought on staff with the Spurs as an assistant to Gregg Popovich. That stint wouldn’t last long, as he was named head coach of the Orlando Magic in 2012, just three years removed from playing in the NBA. His tenure with the Magic was largely unsuccessful, but was far from the end of his coaching journey.

After two and a half seasons with the Magic, Vaughn caught on with the Brooklyn Nets, spending several years as an assistant coach, a few weeks as the interim head coach, and then two full seasons leading the club from 2022 to 2024. Unfortunately, while his Nets did win games at a slightly better clip, Vaughn’s tenure ended without prominent progress for this program.

After more than a decade each as NBA player and coach, Vaughn returns for his first taste of college basketball since leaving Lawrence way back in 1997. A lot has changed in this sport but it’s a unique opportunity for Vaughn in the weeks, months, and potentially years ahead. We’ve seen in the past how coaches have come straight from the NBA and failed more times than not in the college game, but this is different.

Vaughn isn’t being thrown the keys and expected to fly right off the bat. He’s going to become a beacon of knowledge and a useful recruiter, hoping to help bring his alma mater to conference and national titles in the years ahead. He also gets a chance to learn from Bill Self, one of the sport’s greatest coaches.

However, this hiring raises some interesting questions about the future for Kansas basketball. Self has been with the school for more than 20 years and has been coaching college basketball for four decades. Whether or not this was the intention, a succession plan might soon arise for the Jayhawks like with Duke and North Carolina in recent years when their legends stepped aside.

Regardless, bringing someone with NBA head coaching experience onto a collegiate staff is a major boost for the Jayhawks. Can Vaughn become a major asset in landing highly touted recruits and transfers? Surely this former point guard can make a significant impact in what could be Self’s final seasons in Lawrence.