Kansas coach Bill Self considered Oklahoma State job last offseason, per report
Longtime Kansas men's basketball coach Bill Self was close to making a move to Oklahoma State last season, according to the Tulsa World.
Berry Tramel reported that Self's alma mater made a run at the two-time national champion in the offseason before landing Western Kentucky's Steve Lutz. Self, who played for the Cowboys from 1982-85, was offered a package with "competitive salary and budget to pay players."
The report noted Self spent multiple days at Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Oklahoma, to mull the decision.
Self responded to the report via Action Network's Brett McMurphy on Friday afternoon.
“I spoke to them, answered questions about the job and offered my opinion about what is needed to win in our league,” Self said. “Which I have done every time the job has opened. They got the right guy (in Steve Lutz). I did join Karsten Creek, one of country’s top golf courses, as an out-of-area member, but I’ve never spent a night close to Stillwater in the last 20 years unless my team was playing there."
Self, 62, is from Okmulgee, Oklahoma, and has built a Hall of Fame career with head-coaching stops at Oral Roberts, Tulsa, Illinois and Kansas, where he has been since 2003. Self was an assistant at Oklahoma State from 1986-93.
The report noted it wasn't quite clear how interested Self was; however, he did have "long and meaningful" conversations with OSU.
Self was the highest-paid coach in men's college basketball in 2024, making $9,625,642, according to Paste BN Sports' Coaches Salary Database.
Kansas' 2024-25 season has been disappointing so far, at least compared to its normal standards. The Jayhawks are 17-9 with losses in four of their last six games, including a 34-point loss to BYU on Tuesday night.
Oklahoma State has fallen from previous basketball success in recent years, only making the NCAA tournament twice since 2017. The Cowboys last reached the Sweet 16 in 2005 but have six Final Four appearances in their history.
Self hosts Oklahoma State on Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence.
This story has been updated with new information.