LAWRENCE — Kansas basketball is welcoming back one of its program greats, as the Jayhawks announced Wednesday that Jacque Vaughn is joining the team as an assistant coach.

Vaughn played in the 1990s for former coach Roy Williams at KU and currently ranks third in program history in assists. A former All-American and all-conference honoree as well, his jersey was retired back in 2002. Since then, his career in the game has seen him play professionally in the NBA for more than a decade and coach in the league — including stints as the head coach for the Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets .

“We’re very excited to welcome Jacque and (his wife) Laura into the fold,” Self said in a KU release. “I’ve known Jacque from a distance for several years now and have always admired how he has conducted himself professionally and how he has treated people. I think he will be an excellent addition to our program, while also serving as a great mentor, coach and representative of Kansas basketball. We lost an awesome coach in Norm (Roberts) when he retired but feel very fortunate to have replaced him with a tremendous Jayhawk that has a unique and impressive resume.”

As Self outlined, Vaughn’s arrival comes as Roberts recently announced his retirement. Roberts was a longtime assistant on Self’s coaching staff, and someone who was a part of the national championship run in 2022. Vaughn will look to help Kansas reclaim that level of success that has eluded the team in recent seasons.

Although the Jayhawks would win a Big 12 Conference regular season title in 2023, they have yet to earn any Big 12 championships since. They’ve also failed to reach the second weekend of the NCAA tournament since that title run in 2022. KU’s roster will look much different during the 2025-26 season, compared to 2024-25, with one of the most recent updates being the signing of a class of 2025 high school guard in Corbin Allen.

“I’m truly honored and overwhelmed with excitement to return to my alma mater and join Coach Self's staff as an assistant coach,” Vaughn said in the release. “The game of basketball has provided me the incredible privilege to mentor, coach, and compete alongside some of the best in the game. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to bring those experiences back to the school that means so much to me. It’s a blessing to once again be part of the Jayhawk tradition.”

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.