What Bill Self Said About Zeke Mayo’s Kansas Basketball Struggles, Criticism

Mayo has been mired in a tough stretch of games as the Jayhawks close the season.

Feb 22, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self celebrates after a play against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the first half at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Kansas basketball guard Zeke Mayo had a difficult night in the Jayhawks’ 78-73 loss to Texas Tech on Saturday, finishing with just five points on 1-of-7 shooting, including 0-of-5 from beyond the arc.

After the game, head coach Bill Self spoke about Mayo’s recent struggles and the criticism he has faced, expressing his belief that the guard will bounce back.

"He hasn't played as well here late, but he's been really good all season long," Self said. "Hopefully, he'll get it out of the system. I'm not worried as much about shooting. That's always been my thing. Shooters need to make shots. But I'm not worried as much about that. It's magnified when you don't have a lot of them, but I just think he can play better. And when you worry about playing better, you seem to shoot it better."

Self pointed out that Mayo was trying to be aggressive early in the game, which is something the coaching staff has encouraged. However, he noted that some missed opportunities may have affected Mayo's confidence.

"But he tried to get downhill early in the game, and we've been on him about that, as far as coming off tight and trying to get downhill to force help or go score," Self said. "And he tried to do that early, and we really came away with nothing. And that probably got him in a mindset where he's a little hesitant. But he had some open looks. He had a big one there on the right wing that was wide open, and it just didn't go in a crucial part. But those things happen."

Following the game, Mayo shared screenshots of hateful messages he received on social media, including racial slurs, threats, and insults. He also issued an apology for his performance, though Self made it clear that responsibility for the team’s play falls on him.

In a lengthy statement, Self condemned the negativity directed at his players and reiterated his belief in his team despite their struggles this season.

"The game today was a very good college basketball game. We played a very good team and we got beat. We had some individuals have exceptional individual games, and we had some maybe not play up to the standard they've set for themselves," Self said. "But, everyone on our team, coaches included, myself, more than anyone, had opportunities to impact the game. A play here or there, that could have been the difference in the game over the course of 40 minutes. Texas Tech made more plays than we did."

While Kansas has fallen short of expectations this season, Self remains confident in his team’s effort and potential heading into the Big 12 Tournament.

"We competed. We tried. We came up short and I'm proud of their efforts and I'm also proud of their preparation to be ready for the game. We haven't had the overall year that we had hoped for ourselves, nor the year that many other people have expected, but it hasn't been from a lack of caring," Self said. "I can do a lot of things better. We all could do a lot of things better. But I'll roll with these guys every day and be proud of it. Any criticism about the team should be directed at me. I'm the head coach."

Looking ahead, Kansas will face two tough matchups to close out the regular season against No. 4 Houston and No. 22 Arizona. Self emphasized the importance of staying focused on basketball rather than external distractions.

A statement from Coach Self following today’s game vs. Texas Tech: pic.twitter.com/hdGu0bI6Gz

— Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) March 2, 2025

"I'm looking forward to seeing how we bounce back against a terrific Houston team on Monday. Then, after that game, I'll look forward to see how we respond to a terrific Arizona team on Saturday," Self said. "This is the most important time of the season, and this is the time where we need to be better, but we also need to be focused on basketball and not things being said outside of basketball that have absolutely zero merit."

With the postseason approaching, Self and the Jayhawks are determined to turn things around, and Mayo’s return to form could be a key factor in their success.

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