For years, Kansas basketball head coach Bill Self’s name has been tossed around whenever Oklahoma State found itself in need of a new head basketball coach.

As an OSU alum and a former Cowboy player, the connection has always been there—but never seemed to carry much weight. That changed in 2024.

On Friday, Berry Tramel of the Tulsa World reported that Oklahoma State came close to landing Self during its most recent coaching search.

For the first time, it appears Self had real interest in a return to Stillwater.

Ultimately, the Cowboys went in a different direction, hiring Steve Lutz after an extensive search, but the idea of Self making the jump from Kansas to OSU would have been a monumental shift for both programs.

Self, of course, played at Oklahoma State from 1981-85, suiting up as a point guard under Paul Hansen before beginning his coaching career as a graduate assistant in Stillwater.

His ties to OSU run deep, and with the Cowboys looking to stabilize a program that had been struggling to find consistency, bringing back one of their own would have been a statement move.

Instead, Self remains at Kansas, where he’s built one of the most successful programs in college basketball history.

Meanwhile, Lutz is working to establish his own identity in Stillwater, hoping to build a foundation for long-term success.

On Saturday, Self and the Jayhawks will face Oklahoma State for the first time since those discussions took place.

While he won’t be making a trip to Gallagher-Iba Arena this season, his connection to OSU feels stronger than ever.