Kansas Coach Bill Self Defends Zeke Mayo After Racist Threats

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas guard Zeke Mayo faced a barrage of threatening and racist messages on social media following the Jayhawks’ 78-73 home defeat against No. 10 Texas Tech on Saturday. In response, head coach Bill Self issued a statement late Saturday night urging that any criticism directed at the team should instead be aimed at him.

Mayo shared screenshots that included racial slurs, veiled threats, and incitements of self-harm. He also apologized for his performance, which saw him score just five points on 1-of-7 shooting — the third time in four games he scored in single digits.

In his statement, Self highlighted the competitive nature of the game and the missed opportunities throughout. “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,” he said. “But everyone on our team, coaches included, myself, more than anyone, had opportunities to impact the game.”

Self explained that Texas Tech simply made more plays than Kansas during the contest. “We competed. We tried. We came up short, and I’m proud of their efforts,” he added. He acknowledged the team’s struggles this season, recognizing that expectations had not been met. “We haven’t had the overall year that we had hoped for ourselves, nor the year that many other people have expected,” he said.

The Jayhawks, once the preseason No. 1, fell out of the AP poll this week, marking a tough late-season slide. This loss against Texas Tech pushed their total to 10 defeats, signifying the second consecutive season that the team reached double-digit losses before achieving 20 wins.

Mayo has been one of Kansas’ standout performers this season, averaging 14.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game after transferring from a Summit League program where he was named Player of the Year. He has garnered attention not only for his talent on the court but also for his resilience in the face of adversity.

“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,” Self said. He expressed anticipation for upcoming games against Houston and Arizona, emphasizing the importance of focusing on basketball amidst outside negativity.

Kansas has two regular-season games remaining, with a crucial road matchup against Houston on Monday followed by their final home game against Arizona next Saturday. Preparation for the Big 12 Tournament will follow after these matches, and the team aims to regain momentum as they head into critical postseason play.