Kansas' Bill Self Denies Speculation That He'll Replace Spurs' Gregg Popovich

University of Kansas head basketball coach Bill Self has shot down speculation he'll replace San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich for the 2020-21 NBA season.

"There's zero truth to that," Self told reporters Friday.

Seth Greenberg of ESPN forecast the potential Spurs coaching change during an appearance on Wednesday's Get Up as part of his bold predictions for 2020:

In April, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported San Antonio ownership believes Popovich is "entitled to manage his future the way he wants," so it's fine with letting him decide whether to keep coaching on a year-to-year basis regardless of his contract status.

The Spurs are coming off their 22nd consecutive playoff berth and hold the eighth seed in the Western Conference despite a 14-19 record. However, they are no longer among the NBA's select group of title contenders without Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard.

As well, Popovich will lead what should be a star-studded Team USA roster in the 2020 Summer Olympics, potentially providing an exit strategy for the 70-year-old Air Force veteran.

If the Americans win gold, Pop could enter retirement on a high note and hand the Spurs' coaching staff to someone else to lead a new era in franchise history. He'd probably handle some type of emeritus role within the organization, though.

Self, who owns 35 years of coaching experience at the collegiate level, has never worked in the NBA. He's posted a 690-213 record as head coach at Kansas, Illinois, Tulsa and Oral Roberts. He guided the Jayhawks to a national championship in 2008 and has three Final Four appearances.

His resume and the stability he's provided at Kansas since 2003 seemingly make him the type of candidate San Antonio, one of the gold standards in sports organizations, would consider.

That said, Self would likely be an underdog candidate to Spurs assistant Becky Hammon, who'd become the first female head coach in a Big Four sport; one of the team's other assistants (Duncan, Will Hardy, Chip Engelland and Mitch Johnson); or any of the numerous former Spurs staffers who've accepted jobs elsewhere.