The Kansas basketball program struck gold with the commitment of Flory Bidunga last year. Bill Self and the Jayhawks stole him away from Auburn and Duke at the last minute, and he wound up signing with KU on signing day. He is now expected to take on a sizeable role in Lawrence as a freshman.
Bidunga, the No. 4 ranked center and No. 14 ranked overall player in the Class of 2024 on 247 Sports, is an athletic freak who is sure to garner NBA attention once he finishes college. Some people are already debating whether he could be a solid player at the next level. Sports Illustrated’s Isaac Condra posted an article outlining some of his best qualities and determining if he has a future in the pros.
“The 6-foot-9 prospect is a physically imposing center who will have a great time learning the college game behind fifth-year center Dickinson… he is able to be a lockdown defender inside the painted area. He’s a very athletic big who can make athletic defensive plays that give the team an energy boost and gain momentum.”
– Isaac Condra
This shouldn’t come as a surprise for the McDonald’s High School All-American and two-time recipient of Indiana’s Gatorade Player of the Year award. Bidunga will be a wealthy man one day.
The 6-foot-9 big man out of the Democratic Republic of Congo has only played basketball since 2019 and is a raw talent. He has plenty of time to tap into his oozing potential. Scouts lauded his defensive abilities coming into college, citing his tremendous shot-blocking abilities at the high school level.
During his senior year at Kokomo in Indiana, Bidunga averaged a whopping 4.4 blocks. He also posted averages of 19.0 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists on 82% field goal shooting. While he has never taken the floor at the college level yet, his skill set should immediately translate.
It’s easy to see why NBA teams are already looking at the highly touted center. The only question mark surrounding Bidunga’s game is his height. At 6-foot-9, he would be extremely undersized for a professional center, especially one with a limited face-up game.
The article mentioned the possibility of Bidunga being a one-and-done player, but chances are he will stick around at the college level for at least two years as he refines his offensive game and sits behind Dickinson. Jayhawk fans sure hope he is a multi-year student-athlete because his potential is off the charts.
