Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks have dominated college basketball and March Madness for much of recent history. The Kansas basketball program won the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Championship. In 2023, they earned the number 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Their success has not come without controversy, however. The Jayhawks have battled an investigation for six years regarding their infractions of NCAA rules. The latest development in the scandal allows Kansas to breathe easy though.

Kansas basketball lives to fight another day

The NCAA Independent Accountability Review Process (IARP) led to a downgrade of Kansas' Level I allegations to Level II allegations, per Sports Illustrated. Basically, it was found that the Jayhawks' NCAA infractions were not as serious as originally accused. As a result, the program faces a three-year probation with no post-season penalties.

If the Kansas basketball team has no more slip-ups, they can continue their basketball activities. Head Coach Bill Self was previously charged with Level I allegations and served game suspensions in the past. He now has no additional penalties.

What did the Jayhawks do to warrant such a long and tedious investigation? One of the main allegations surrounded an Adidas representative paying former Kansas basketball recruits to commit to the school. Namely, Silvio De Sousa was the main recruit involved.

Sousa played for the 2017-18 team that made it to the Final Four. While Kansas' role in the scandal has been found to be minimal, one agreement they must adhere to is vacating the wins and achievements from the season Sousa played in. Other than that, the Jayhawks remain safe for the moment.

This is great news for Kansas, who want to continue their March Madness reign. It would mean trouble for the college basketball world if Bill Self or the Kansas basketball program were found guilty of their original scandal accusations. For now, Kansas lives to fight another day.