Bill Self Addresses Rumor He 'Seriously Considered' Leaving Kansas for Oklahoma State

Kansas men's basketball head coach Bill Self addressed a report by the Tulsa World's Berry Tramel that he "seriously considered" leaving for Oklahoma State last offseason.

“I spoke to them, answered questions about the job and offered my opinion about what is needed to win in our league. Which I have done every time the job has opened,” Self told the Action Network's Brett McMurphy. "They got the right guy."

Self specifically addressed the report's claim that he "holed up in a lodge" at Oklahoma State's Karsten Creek Golf Club "for a couple of days last spring" while considering the offer.

He told McMurphy he has joined Karsten Creek as an out-of-area member, but that he had "never spent a night close to Stillwater in the last 20 years unless my team was playing there."

Oklahoma State named Steve Lutz the program's head coach on April 1, 2024.

The Cowboys were seeking a replacement for former coach Mike Boynton, who was fired last March after leading OSU to a single NCAA Tournament appearance in seven seasons at the helm.

Tramel stated in his report that Lutz's hiring came only after Oklahoma State put a "hard sell" on Self.

According to Tramel, this was at least the second time OSU has made a push to bring back Self, who grew up near Oklahoma City, played for the Cowboys in the 1980s and served as an assistant coach for two seasons with the Cowboys.

Tramel noted that the news the Cowboys turned to Lutz only after Self turned down the job could explain Lutz's "slow" start to the transfer portal, despite Oklahoma State losing multiple key players to the portal ahead of his hiring.

The news came after Kansas failed again to return to the national championship game after suffering a second straight second-round loss from the NCAA Tournament.

Self, who signed a five-year, $53 million contract in November 2023 that made him the highest-paid coach in college basketball, ultimately returned for another shot at his third national title.

At the time of his contract Self, who underwent multiple heart procedures in the preceding years, said he was in the final "three or four" years of his coaching career. He also said the contract meant he would finish his career with Kansas.

Lutz is inked his own five-year, $13.5 million deal with OSU last spring after his $2 million buyout from Western Kentucky. Per the Oklahoman's Scott Wright, he could earn additional incentives by leading the Cowboys back into the NCAA Tournament, but will still make significantly less than Self's record-breaking contract in Lawrence.