Report: Bill Self 'seriously' considered taking Oklahoma State job in 2024

Longtime Kansas head men’s basketball coach Bill Self was reportedly “seriously considering” an offer to become Oklahoma State‘s next head coach prior to the Cowboys’ eventual hiring of Steve Lutz, according to Tulsa World columnist Berry Tramel.

Now we know why there was a delay in hiring a basketball coach last time. Bill Self was holed up in a lodge at Karsten Creek, seriously considering the OSU offer, writes Sports Columnist Berry Tramel. https://t.co/WHMIjgURXJ

— Berry Tramel (@BerryTramel) February 21, 2025

This news comes on the heels of Self and the No. 23 Jayhawks (18-9, 8-7 Big 12) hosting Oklahoma State (13-13, 5-10) at 4 pm ET on Saturday from the famed Allen Fieldhouse.

Tramel cited “multiple Cowboy sources” revealing Oklahoma State delayed Lutz’s eventual April 1 introductory press conference five days while attempting a last-ditch full-court press to convince Self, an OSU alumnus, to leave the Jayhawks after 21 seasons in Lawrence to return to his alma mater.

The 62-year-old Self, a 1985 graduate of Oklahoma State and an Oklahoma native, ultimately decided to remain at Kansas, and has the No. 23 Jayhawks in the midst of a rollercoaster 2024-25 season. Meanwhile, the Cowboys have struggled in Lutz’s inaugural season, including dropping seven of their first nine Big 12 games this season.

Self played for late Oklahoma State coach Paul Hansen in the early 1980s before taking an assistant coaching opportunity at Kansas during the 1985-86 season. Self returned to Oklahoma State as an assistant under Leonard Hamilton from 1986-1990 and was then retained by Cowboy legend Eddie Sutton before being hired as Oral Roberts‘ head coach in 1993.

Self holds a 832-251 career coaching record, including a 605-144 record in 22 seasons at Kansas.

Steve Lutz was announced as Oklahoma State’s new coach on April 1 after just one season at Western Kentucky following a lengthy two-week coaching search in Oklahoma City.

Steve Lutz calls to ‘believe in humanity’ amid Oklahoma State’s struggles

Steve Lutz hasn’t stopped believing in Oklahoma State even after his team suffered another loss Tuesday night. The Cowboys dropped a home game to Arizona by a score of 92-78 on an evening where they lost control in the second half.

OSU stayed neck-and-neck in the first half and entered halftime down only four points to the Wildcats before leting things slip out of their grasp over the final 20 minutes. That caused Lutz to admit in his postgame press conference that, while he still has faith in his team, it has to do a better job of giving maximum effort throughout the whole game.

“You have to believe in humanity,” the coach said. “You have to believe in people with good character, and these guys have good character. So I have to continue to believe that at some point, it’s gonna mean enough to them that they’re gonna do it for 40 minutes instead fo 15 or 18 or 28. They’ve done a lot of really good things, but they haven’t done it for 40 minutes yet.

“I’ve got to believe in them, but I’ve also got to make sure that, myself as the coach, I’ve got to get them there. Somehow, some way, I’ve gotta get them there. If I shorten the rotation or maybe extend people on the bench, I don’t know. But I’ve gotta figure out something.”

On3’s Chandler Vessels contributed to this report.