ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas said Monday that he doesn’t expect potential NCAA penalties to have a lasting effect on the Kansas program.

Talking to Rock Chalk Sports Talk, Bilas was asked how much concern Kansas fans should have for the future of the program.

“None. And I’ll take you back to 1988, Danny Manning and Larry Brown won the NCAA Championship, and that banner’s still up in Allen Fieldhouse. The next year, Larry Brown left and we had Roy Williams come in. And Kansas went on probation, was hit by the NCAA, and look at the success and the greatness that came after that,” Bilas said. “Kansas basketball is in no jeopardy whatsoever. This is a short-term issue, it may be painful in the short term, but the long term, I don’t think there’s any real concern.”

The full interview will air at 4:20 p.m. CT Monday.

In the short, short term, things shouldn’t be an issue; Kansas is expected to compete for the program’s sixth national title and fourth NCAA Championship, with the general consensus putting Kansas either first or second in the nation heading into the preseason. And with the length of the NCAA process, any penalties are likely to come too late to affect the Jayhawks for the 2020 postseason. The bigger concerns are what happens after that, and how Kansas will be able to recruit with the cloud of those allegations overhead.

And that’s assuming that Kansas does get slammed at all — which, if we know anything about the NCAA, it’s that assumptions can be reckless — or that the Jayhawks accept any fate they do receive. Kansas’ language after the NCAA’s Notice of Allegations was pretty strong, and could be the kind of thing that the school elects to take to court if the penalties are seen as unfair. Kansas’ initial release from the Office of Public Affairs noted that “the University will fiercely dispute in detail much of what has been presented.”

And Kansas coach Bill Self came out guns blazing as well.

“By the NCAA’s own admission through its public statements early this summer, it’s no secret that there is tremendous pressure on the NCAA to respond to the federal court proceedings involving college basketball," Self said. "Compelled to reassure member institutions and the general public that it can police its member institutions, the NCAA enforcement staff has responded in an unnecessarily aggressive manner in submitting today’s unsubstantiated Notice of Allegations, and I, as well as the University, will vigorously dispute what has been alleged. ...

"In its haste and attempt to regain control, the enforcement staff has created a false narrative regarding me and our basketball program. The narrative is based on innuendo, half-truths, misimpressions and mischaracterizations. In reality, we all know there is only one version of the truth. The truth is based on verifiable facts, and I am confident the facts we will demonstrate in our case will expose the inaccuracies of the enforcement staff’s narrative."

Self didn’t stop there.

"I have always taken pride in my commitment to rules compliance and led programs that operate with integrity and within the rules, and I am proud of the success that we have achieved at each program along the way," Self said. "Every student-athlete who has ever played for me and their families know we follow the rules. ...

"These allegations are serious and damaging to the University and to myself, and I hate that KU has to go through this process. With our staff’s full cooperation, these allegations will be addressed within NCAA procedures and with urgency and resolve. I will strenuously defend myself and the program, but I will respect the process and will not speak to the details of the case."

For those Kansas fans who are tired of any NCAA talk and ready for the Jayhawks to take the court, relief is coming this weekend in the form of Late Night. And as Phog.net’s Scott Chasen has reported, the annual recruiting extravaganza appears packed (VIP) as usual.