Kansas coach Bill Self "seriously considered" taking the Oklahoma State job this past offseason, according to the Tulsa World's Berry Tramel. Self is an Oklahoma native who played for the Cowboys in the 1980s and later worked as an assistant there before holding his first two head coaching positions in the state at Oral Roberts and Tulsa.

A graduate of Oklahoma State, Self was reportedly a top contender for the Cowboys' head coaching job in 2024. 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.