Kansas coach Bill Self addresses report he spoke with Oklahoma State about job vacancy

Gary Bedore, The Kansas City Star on Feb 21, 2025

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LAWRENCE, Kan. — Oklahoma State University athletics officials spoke to Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self about the Cowboys’ head-coach opening last spring, the Jayhawks coach confirmed Friday afternoon.

Berry Tramel of the Tulsa World had earlier on Friday reported that Self, an OSU graduate, “seriously considered” an offer to replace Mike Boynton as head coach. The job went to former Western Kentucky coach Steve Lutz.

“I guess I can have a comment if it’s worth commenting on something (that happened) 10 months ago. I did talk to them,” Self said at a news conference held in advance of Saturday’s KU-OSU game at Allen Fieldhouse.

“I spoke to OSU every time there’s been an opening since coach (Eddie) Sutton had left — not necessarily about hiring me, but could be about names (of possible candidates) or what I thought needed to happen to order to have OSU compete in this league at a high level. I did talk to them.”

Tramel’s report said: “Multiple Cowboy sources said OSU took a swing at Self, and Cowboy decision-makers grew increasingly confident that Self was impressed with the organization of the plan his alma mater had produced and was intrigued at the package, complete with competitive salary and budget to pay players in this new professional age of college basketball.”

Self took issue with Tramel’s report that Self “holed up in a lodge at Karsten Creek (golf club in Stillwater, Okla.) and seriously considered the (job) offer.”

“I also read in that article I stayed holed up at at Karsten Creek. I have holed up in Stillwater before, but it’s only been the night before that we’ve actually played a game,” Self said. “I haven’t been to Stillwater to spend a night the last 20 years ... maybe I did 15 years ago or something, at some point in time at a reunion or something, but I haven’t been there unless my team staying there. So that was totally inaccurate.”

Self indicated there was never a tough decision to be made. He said KU administration “knew that I talked to them, but it wasn’t near to the point of what was presented in the article, at least the way it was presented to me after other people have read it.”

Self said he spoke “more seriously (with OSU officials)“ about the OSU job after KU won the national title in 2008.

“I did talk to them in 2008. I believe I talked to them when Brad (Underwood) left, and I believe I talked to them when Sean (Sutton) may have left, too. I believe I may have talked to them when Travis (Ford) left, as well. But there’s a big difference in talking than actually interest, considering (the job seriously).”

KU (17-9, 8-7 Big 12) plays host to OSU (13-13, 5-10) at 3 p.m. Saturday.

On Friday, Self was asked by The Kansas City Star whether Oklahoma State had “made formal offers” to him.

“I talked to them,” Self said. “You know something? I’m not going to go into detail what we talked about.

“We probably talked about what it would take to win there, and what your interest level would be, and all that stuff. But it didn’t get past that. And I wouldn’t tell details of what was talked about in a private conversation to you or anybody else.

“But I will tell you this ... good people, love the people there, love the place. Wish them the best, just not at our expense, and, and, and tomorrow would be at our expense if we don’t play better. So that’s what I’m focused on.”

A final note along those lines: Self noted that “I think they got the right guy,” in hiring current head coach Lutz.