While Kansas basketball fans have been highly critical of head coach Bill Self lately, an odd report came from Tulsa World journalist Berry Tramel one day before the Jayhawks take on the Cowboys in Allen Fieldhouse. According to Tramel, Self strongly considered taking the head coaching vacancy at Oklahoma State over the offseason before returning to KU.
In the article (subscription required), Tramel said he stayed overnight at Karsten Creek in March as Oklahoma State made a final push to poach him from KU. Rumors were swirling across the landscape of college basketball and no one knew what to believe. Thankfully, Self cleared it up with the media on Friday and confirmed he has no intentions of leaving KU.
Bill Self on the report that he considered leaving for Oklahoma State:
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) February 21, 2025
"I did talk to them... Not necessarily about hiring me, but about what needs to happen for them to compete in this league... But the part that I stayed holed up in Stillwater... that was totally inaccurate" pic.twitter.com/iUE8f7U2rE
Bill Self speaks about rumors that he considered Oklahoma State job
The Hall of Famer admitted that he had a conversation with the Pokes amid their coaching search. However, he claimed that their conversation focused less on hiring him and more on offering advice about what qualities they should seek in a coach. A large amount of the report seemed to be exaggerated and blown out of proportion by Tramel.
Self briefly elaborated on the report in the press conference. "My administration knew I talked to them. It wasn't near to the point of what was presented in the article," Self stated.
It’s clear that Self still has a lot of love for his alma mater, which is not surprising. Across his four-year playing career in Stillwater, the Oklahoma native appeared in 109 games, averaging 6.3 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.0 rebounds from 1981-1985. He made previous coaching stops at Oral Roberts, Tulsa, and Illinois before replacing Roy Williams in 2003.
Even if Self has considered other offers in the past, his heart lies with the Jayhawks. He is the program’s all-time wins leader and stuck with them through some tough stages with the FBI probes. Most Kansas fans would agree that Self will likely finish out his coaching career in Lawrence.