Kansas received a recruiting boost when Flory Bidunga, a five-star center from Kokomo, Ind., committed to the program, he announced Saturday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Bidunga is the No. 4 overall prospect and the No. 1 center in the 2024 class and chose Kansas over Auburn, Duke and Michigan.
- The 6-foot-8, 215-pound center was the defensive MVP on Adidas’ 3SSB circuit while averaging 17.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game.
- Bidunga is the first commitment for the Jayhawks in the 2024 class.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
Scouting report
Since arriving in Kokomo, Ind., from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2021, Bidunga has been one of the fastest-rising prospects in the 2024 recruiting class. It should be noted that Bidunga is nowhere near his ceiling as he has only been playing basketball since 2019.
As of today, he’s not as polished as other bigs in his class but what he does well makes him hands down the best center in his class. He has a great feel for the game, with strong hands, elite athleticism and a high motor to top it all off.
Bidunga is highly efficient around the rim by throwing down thunderous dunks, attacking the offensive glass or catching lobs. Over the past two games on the Adidas 3SSB circuit, Bidunga has shot 70 percent from the field while averaging 18.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.25 blocks.
What Bidunga brings to Kansas
Bidunga is a great fit for Kansas and coach Bill Self’s affinity for post pins. Bidunga already has a good understanding of how to push his man up the lane or under the bucket. He makes defenders disappear on duck-ins. He’s advanced in his understanding of how to do his work early when posting up. He’s got good hands and looks to dunk everything around the rim.
In 13 games logged on Synergy from the Adidas circuit, he had 41 dunks and shot 80.4 percent at the rim. With his back to the basket, he’s got a quick drop-step move. He’s sometimes over reliant on his lefty hook, but the fact that he’s a lefty and right-shoulder dominant is something most defenders aren’t used to facing.
Bidunga is an elite athlete. He really gets off the floor quickly on both ends of the floor. He’ll be good in the pick-and-roll game, able to flip his hips quickly out of a screen and then catch lobs around the bucket. He also moves his feet well and does a nice job staying between his man and the basket, and he can block shots both as a help defender and on his own man. All the tools are there to be a plus college defender.
Bidunga is slightly undersized for the position at 6-foot-8 and doesn’t have much of a jump shot — he made only 56.3 percent of his free throws in the games logged by Synergy — which aren’t necessarily bad things from a program-building perspective. A really skilled player with his athleticism is probably one-and-done. Bidunga will likely be a multiyear college player who can fit a role.
He gives the Jayhawks a really good backup if Hunter Dickinson stays a second season in Lawrence, and if Dickinson bolts, Bidunga is talented enough to start right away. He doesn’t have the girth of a Udoka Azubuike, but his strengths are similar and he’d fit a role very similar to the one Azubuike played at Kansas. — Moore
Required reading
(Photo: Icon Sportswire / Getty Images)
