Griffin said he’ll make his decision in the next three or four weeks. He has three options.

• Announce he will be back next season and put an end to the discussions.

• Turn pro, sign with an agent and end his collegiate career.

• The third option is to make himself eligible for the NBA draft, but not sign with an agent. He could attend the NBA’s pre-draft camp and get a solid evaluation. He could then return to school if he doesn’t think he will be taken high enough.

“I really don’t know what I’m going to do right now,” Griffin said.

He followed that up by there’s plenty to return to at OU.

“It’s definitely on its way up,” Griffin said. “You can’t sit back and admire this year. You have to keep moving forward if we want to keep playing at a high level.”

But Griffin’s future at OU could very well be tied with Capel’s. The Sooner coach said he’s already talked with Castiglione about a new contract. Capel’s current deal is for $750,000 a year plus incentives and runs through 2012.

“As a coach you want as much security as you can possibly get,” Capel said.

Both sides are confident a new deal can be reached.

“I’m confident in OU and Joe,” Capel said. “Joe is one of the main reasons I came to OU.”

Castiglione said the talks have to go beyond he and Capel for a new deal to be solidified.

“It’s more than just a discussion between and athletic director and a coach. It involves a president. It involves a board,” Castiglione said. “All of that takes place at the appropriate time. That’s standard operating procedure.”

That procedure will be a big part of what direction OU basketball heads in. This season was a breakout year in terms of getting back to the national stage.

What happens over the next month will decide if is ready to stay there.