Kansas Jayhawks basketball — program history
Kansas is the only college basketball program founded by the inventor of the game — Dr. James Naismith started the program in 1898, though he remains the school's only coach with a losing record. His protege Phog Allen, the 'Father of Basketball Coaching,' won 746 games and mentored future legends Adolph Rupp and Dean Smith. The Jayhawks have won four NCAA titles and are among the winningest programs in history. Allen Fieldhouse, named for Phog Allen with its court named for Naismith, has been called the loudest arena in college basketball.
The name
Named for 'Jayhawkers,' pro-Union guerrilla fighters from Kansas Territory during the Civil War era, with the bird mascot based on a combination of a blue jay and a hawk
Signature moment
Mario Chalmers' miraculous three-pointer to force overtime in the 2008 NCAA Championship game, which Kansas won over Memphis
Kansas's coaching lineage is unmatched: Naismith coached Allen, who coached Dean Smith and Adolph Rupp — between them, they won more than 2,500 games and multiple national titles
The Kansas Jayhawks compete in the Big 12 and hold an all-time record of 2438–919 (.726 winning percentage) across 128 recorded seasons dating back to 1898-99. The program has won 4 NCAA national championships (1952, 1988, 2008, 2022) and reached 15 Final Fours.
National championships
1952, 1988, 2008, 2022
Season-by-season results
| Season | Record | Conference | Coach | AP peak |
|---|
| 2025-26 | 24-11 | 12-6 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #8 |
| 2024-25 | 21-13 | 11-9 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #1 |
| 2023-24 | 23-11 | 10-8 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #1 |
| 2022-23 | 28-8 | 13-5 (Big 12) | Bill Self,Norm Roberts | AP #2 |
| 2021-22 | 34-6 | 14-4 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #3 |
| 2020-21 | 21-9 | 12-6 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #3 |
| 2019-20 | 28-3 | 17-1 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #1 |
| 2018-19 | 26-10 | 12-6 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #1 |
| 2017-18 | 27-7 * | Big 12 | | |
| 2016-17 | 31-5 | 16-2 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #1 |
| 2015-16 | 33-5 | 15-3 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #1 |
| 2014-15 | 27-9 | 13-5 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #5 |
| 2013-14 | 25-10 | 14-4 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #2 |
| 2012-13 | 31-6 | 14-4 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #2 |
| 2011-12 | 32-7 | 16-2 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #3 |
| 2010-11 | 35-3 | 14-2 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #1 |
| 2009-10 | 33-3 | 15-1 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #1 |
| 2008-09 | 27-8 | 14-2 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #9 |
| 2007-08 | 37-3 | 13-3 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #2 |
| 2006-07 | 33-5 | 14-2 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #2 |
| 2005-06 | 25-8 | 13-3 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #12 |
| 2004-05 | 23-7 | 12-4 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #1 |
| 2003-04 | 24-9 | 12-4 (Big 12) | Bill Self | AP #1 |
| 2002-03 | 30-8 | 14-2 (Big 12) | Roy Williams | AP #2 |
| 2001-02 | 33-4 | 16-0 (Big 12) | Roy Williams | AP #1 |
| 2000-01 | 26-7 | 12-4 (Big 12) | Roy Williams | AP #2 |
| 1999-00 | 24-10 | 11-5 (Big 12) | Roy Williams | AP #5 |
| 1998-99 | 23-10 | 11-5 (Big 12) | Roy Williams | AP #7 |
| 1997-98 | 35-4 | 15-1 (Big 12) | Roy Williams | AP #2 |
| 1996-97 | 34-2 | 15-1 (Big 12) | Roy Williams | AP #1 |
| 1995-96 | 29-5 | 12-2 (Big 8) | Roy Williams | AP #1 |
| 1994-95 | 25-6 | 11-3 (Big 8) | Roy Williams | AP #1 |
| 1993-94 | 27-8 | 9-5 (Big 8) | Roy Williams | AP #1 |
| 1992-93 | 29-7 | 11-3 (Big 8) | Roy Williams | AP #1 |
| 1991-92 | 27-5 | 11-3 (Big 8) | Roy Williams | AP #2 |
| 1990-91 | 27-8 | 10-4 (Big 8) | Roy Williams | AP #8 |
| 1989-90 | 30-5 | 11-3 (Big 8) | Roy Williams | AP #1 |
| 1988-89 | 19-12 | 6-8 (Big 8) | Roy Williams | AP #16 |
| 1987-88 | 27-11 | 9-5 (Big 8) | Larry Brown | AP #7 |
| 1986-87 | 25-11 | 9-5 (Big 8) | Larry Brown | AP #6 |
| 1985-86 | 35-4 | 13-1 (Big 8) | Larry Brown | AP #2 |
| 1984-85 | 26-8 | 11-3 (Big 8) | Larry Brown | AP #9 |
| 1983-84 | 22-10 | 9-5 (Big 8) | Larry Brown | AP #17 |
| 1982-83 | 13-16 | 4-10 (Big 8) | Ted Owens | |
| 1981-82 | 13-14 | 4-10 (Big 8) | Ted Owens | |
| 1980-81 | 24-8 | 9-5 (Big 8) | Ted Owens | AP #18 |
| 1979-80 | 15-14 | 7-7 (Big 8) | Ted Owens | AP #19 |
| 1978-79 | 18-11 | 8-6 (Big 8) | Ted Owens | AP #4 |
| 1977-78 | 24-5 | 13-1 (Big 8) | Ted Owens | AP #5 |
| 1976-77 | 18-10 | 8-6 (Big 8) | Ted Owens | |
| 1975-76 | 13-13 | 6-8 (Big 8) | Ted Owens | |
| 1974-75 | 19-8 | 11-3 (Big 8) | Ted Owens | AP #6 |
| 1973-74 | 23-7 | 13-1 (Big 8) | Ted Owens | AP #6 |
| 1972-73 | 8-18 | 4-10 (Big 8) | Ted Owens | |
| 1971-72 | 11-15 | 7-7 (Big 8) | Ted Owens | AP #14 |
| 1970-71 | 27-3 | 14-0 (Big 8) | Ted Owens | AP #4 |
| 1969-70 | 17-9 | 8-6 (Big 8) | Ted Owens | AP #16 |
| 1968-69 | 20-7 | 9-5 (Big 8) | Ted Owens | AP #4 |
| 1967-68 | 22-8 | 10-4 (Big 8) | Ted Owens | AP #4 |
| 1966-67 | 23-4 | 13-1 (Big 8) | Ted Owens | AP #3 |
| 1965-66 | 23-4 | 13-1 (Big 8) | Ted Owens | AP #4 |
| 1964-65 | 17-8 | 9-5 (Big 8) | Ted Owens | AP #18 |
| 1963-64 | 13-12 | 8-6 (Big 8) | Dick Harp | AP #10 |
| 1962-63 | 12-13 | 5-9 (Big 8) | Dick Harp | |
| 1961-62 | 7-18 | 3-11 (Big 8) | Dick Harp | |
| 1960-61 | 17-8 | 10-4 (Big 8) | Dick Harp | AP #16 |
| 1959-60 | 19-9 | 10-4 (Big 8) | Dick Harp | |
| 1958-59 | 11-14 | 8-6 (Big 8) | Dick Harp | AP #7 |
| 1957-58 | 18-5 | 8-4 (Big 8) | Dick Harp | AP #2 |
| 1956-57 | 24-3 | 11-1 (Big 7) | Dick Harp | AP #1 |
| 1955-56 | 14-9 | 6-6 (Big 7) | Phog Allen | AP #18 |
| 1954-55 | 11-10 | 5-7 (Big 7) | Phog Allen | AP #16 |
| 1953-54 | 16-5 | 10-2 (Big 7) | Phog Allen | AP #5 |
| 1952-53 | 19-6 | 10-2 (Big 7) | Phog Allen | AP #3 |
| 1951-52 | 28-3 | 11-1 (Big 7) | Phog Allen | AP #1 |
| 1950-51 | 16-8 | 8-4 (Big 7) | Phog Allen | AP #10 |
| 1949-50 | 14-11 | 8-4 (Big 7) | Phog Allen | AP #19 |
| 1948-49 | 12-12 | 3-9 (Big 7) | Phog Allen | |
| 1947-48 | 9-15 | 4-8 (Big 7) | Phog Allen | |
| 1946-47 | 16-11 | 5-5 (Big 6) | Howard Engleman,Phog Allen | |
| 1945-46 | 19-2 | 10-0 (Big 6) | Phog Allen | |
| 1944-45 | 12-5 | 7-3 (Big 6) | Phog Allen | |
| 1943-44 | 17-9 | 5-5 (Big 6) | Phog Allen | |
| 1942-43 | 22-6 | 10-0 (Big 6) | Phog Allen | |
| 1941-42 | 17-5 | 8-2 (Big 6) | Phog Allen | |
| 1940-41 | 12-6 | 7-3 (Big 6) | Phog Allen | |
| 1939-40 | 19-6 | 8-2 (Big 6) | Phog Allen | |
| 1938-39 | 13-7 | 6-4 (Big 6) | Phog Allen | |
| 1937-38 | 18-2 | 9-1 (Big 6) | Phog Allen | |
| 1936-37 | 15-4 | 8-2 (Big 6) | Phog Allen | |
| 1935-36 | 21-2 | 10-0 (Big 6) | Phog Allen | |
| 1934-35 | 15-5 | 12-4 (Big 6) | Phog Allen | |
| 1933-34 | 16-1 | 9-1 (Big 6) | Phog Allen | |
| 1932-33 | 13-4 | 8-2 (Big 6) | Phog Allen | |
| 1931-32 | 13-5 | 7-3 (Big 6) | Phog Allen | |
| 1930-31 | 15-3 | 7-3 (Big 6) | Phog Allen | |
| 1929-30 | 14-4 | 7-3 (Big 6) | Phog Allen | |
| 1928-29 | 3-15 | 2-8 (Big 6) | Phog Allen | |
| 1927-28 | 9-9 | 9-9 (MVC) | Phog Allen | |
| 1926-27 | 15-2 | 10-2 (MVC) | Phog Allen | |
| 1925-26 | 16-2 | 16-2 (MVC) | Phog Allen | |
| 1924-25 | 17-1 | 15-1 (MVC) | Phog Allen | |
| 1923-24 | 16-3 | 15-1 (MVC) | Phog Allen | |
| 1922-23 | 17-1 | 16-0 (MVC) | Phog Allen | |
| 1921-22 | 16-2 | 15-1 (MVC) | Phog Allen | |
| 1920-21 | 10-8 | 10-8 (MVC) | Phog Allen | |
| 1919-20 | 11-7 | 9-7 (MVC) | Karl Schlademan,Phog Allen | |
| 1918-19 | 7-9 | 5-9 (MVC) | W.O. Hamilton | |
| 1917-18 | 10-8 | 9-8 (MVC) | W.O. Hamilton | |
| 1916-17 | 12-8 | 9-7 (MVC) | W.O. Hamilton | |
| 1915-16 | 6-12 | 5-11 (MVC) | W.O. Hamilton | |
| 1914-15 | 16-1 | 13-1 (MVC) | W.O. Hamilton | |
| 1913-14 | 17-1 | 13-1 (MVC) | W.O. Hamilton | |
| 1912-13 | 16-6 | 8-3 (MVC) | W.O. Hamilton | |
| 1911-12 | 11-7 | 6-2 (MVC) | W.O. Hamilton | |
| 1910-11 | 12-6 | 9-3 (MVC) | W.O. Hamilton | |
| 1909-10 | 18-1 | 7-1 (MVC) | W.O. Hamilton | |
| 1908-09 | 25-3 | 6-2 (MVC) | Phog Allen | |
| 1907-08 | 18-6 | 4-0 (MVC) | Phog Allen | |
| 1906-07 | 7-8 | Ind | Doc Naismith | |
| 1905-06 | 12-7 | Ind | Doc Naismith | |
| 1904-05 | 5-6 | Ind | Doc Naismith | |
| 1903-04 | 5-8 | Ind | Doc Naismith | |
| 1902-03 | 7-8 | Ind | Doc Naismith | |
| 1901-02 | 5-7 | Ind | Doc Naismith | |
| 1900-01 | 4-8 | Ind | Doc Naismith | |
| 1899-00 | 3-4 | Ind | Doc Naismith | |
| 1898-99 | 7-4 | Ind | Doc Naismith | |
* Season vacated by the NCAA — absent from the official season table; record computed from the game log and not counted in official totals or rankings.
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