When you’re the king of the Big 12 Conference, you tend to carry yourself a little differently than all of the other coaches trying to knock you off your spot at the top of the mountain.
There’s a certain element that can only be described as cool, calm and collected that comes with it and although the 10 men’s basketball coaches in the Big 12 all have a great deal of respect for one another, it’s Kansas coach Bill Self who seems most comfortable among his peers.
That was crystal clear while observing Self at Tuesday’s Big 12 Media Day in Kansas City, where the coaches and several players came together to preview the upcoming season and discuss the ins and outs of men’s hoops in the Big 12.
Naturally, talk about the league’s best players, best team and biggest surprises popped up in front of every microphone and camera. But with three new leaders in the conference this season, Self had some new material to talk about. Not that that kept Self from having fun at West Virginia coach Bob Huggins’ expense. I’m not sure anything could keep Self from a wise crack and a smile or 20 about Huggins. But the presence of Oklahoma State’s Brad Underwood, TCU’s Jamie Dixon and Texas Tech’s Chris Beard at least took Self’s attention off of Huggy Bear for a bit.
While it’s clear that Self is excited to have all three newcomers in the conference — he said Beard would win a congeniality award among Big 12 coaches and added that it was only a matter of time before Dixon got things rolling at TCU — it’s Underwood who Self has the most significant personal connection to among the trio of first-year Big 12 bosses.
Asked about their relationship — past and present — during Tuesday’s Media Day, Self was equal parts complimentary and class clown.
> “I showed Brad around on his
> recruiting visit to Oklahoma State,”
> Self recalled. “I was a freshman and
> he was a senior in high school. Thank
> God, for Oklahoma State, Brad is a
> much better coach than he was a
> player. He was actually a guy I hoped
> that we could sign because I didn’t
> think that that would take away many
> minutes.”
With the laughter from the media members in attendance still audible, Self transitioned into talk about the path that led Underwood to his alma mater.
> “He has done so well,” said Self of
> Underwood, who was 89-14 in three
> seasons at Stephen F. Austin from
> 2013-2016. “What he did at Stephen F.,
> I mean, that’s remarkable what he did
> and how players got better.”
It’s Underwood’s coaching chops, along with the passion and character he figures to bring to OSU, that makes Self feel so certain that the Cowboys are in great hands.
> “From what I understand, and I don’t
> need anybody telling me this because
> you knew it would happen, he’s done an
> unbelievable job connecting with and
> reconnecting the OSU community and
> family,” Self said of Underwood, who
> played at Kansas State and also
> coached there under Huggins and Frank
> Martin from 2006-12. “And as you guys
> follow basketball in our league,
> Oklahoma State, the tradition and
> history that exists there is relevant
> to the college basketball game on the
> national scene, as well. I think he’ll
> do a very nice job in making all
> Cowboy fans and alums proud.”
That’s the goal, according to Underwood, who said OSU’s history played a big part in luring him back to the Big 12.
> “I’m an old-school guy from the
> standpoint of the tradition means a
> great deal,” Underwood said. “I still
> get goose bumps and hair on the back
> of my neck stands up when I walk into
> Gallagher-Iba every single day. And I
> did not get to know Mr. Iba. I got to
> visit with him briefly when I was at
> Kansas State with Jack Hartman. I know
> what a great teacher, innovator of the
> game he was. To stand on Eddie Sutton
> court every day, there is 806 wins
> there with Coach Sutton, two Final
> Fours. Coach Iba won a couple of
> national titles. That’s pretty
> important.
>
> “I’ve always said Gallagher-Iba is one
> of the elite basketball arenas in all
> of the country, and that excites me,
> getting that crowd going and getting
> that fan base. We have an extremely
> educated fan base. That excites me.
> That all plays into it. As a young guy
> growing up in McPherson, Kansas, and
> understanding those Saturday game of
> the week (broadcasts) in the Big Eight
> back in that day and then getting the
> opportunity to play in those arenas
> and then go back as a coach in those
> arenas, this is very special for me
> and I’m very, very fortunate and very
> blessed to be back in this great
> league.”
