Whenever five-star freshman Flory Bidunga catches the ball at Kansas basketball practice, there’s a good chance he’s dunking with authority.
It doesn’t matter if a defender is in his way — Bidunga (pronounced: bee-DUNE-gah) has already posterized many of his new Jayhawk teammates.
“This one right here, he’s a freak,” guard Jamari McDowell told The Star. “They’re both (freshmen Rakease Passmore and Bidunga) super athletic. Tons of energy and they try hard.”
Bidunga joins the Jayhawks after playing basketball at Kokomo (Indiana) High School. The 6-foot-9 center was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and attended Kokomo for three years.
In his senior season, he averaged 19.0 points, 12.9 rebounds, 4.4 blocks and 3.2 assists per game, leading his school to a 25-4 record and 4A sectional title.
Naturally, the hype around the five-star recruit is sky high.
Kansas coach Bill Self fueled the flames over the summer when he said: “He’s one of the best prospects we’ve had here in a while.”
So far, his teammates feel similarly.
“Flory has impressed me a lot,” second-year guard Elmarko Jackson told The Star. “The way he has progressed so far since he has been here, it’s been crazy. It’s going to be interesting when Hunter (Dickinson) comes off the floor — no disrespect to (former backup center) Parker (Braun), but Flory is just a different type of athlete. I know Dajuan (Harris) is super excited just to get on the floor with him.”
Alabama transfer Rylan Griffen took it one step further. After playing with the Crimson Tide for two seasons, he believes Bidunga might be the best rim protector he’s played with.
The soft-spoken Bidunga isn’t one to boast about his talents. He called the transition to KU basketball smooth but believes he still has a lot of work to do.
As for what he believes his role will be?
“I’m a freshman coming up — I really have to fight my way through to prove myself and prove to people that I can be trusted in this program,” Bidunga told The Star. “I’m not really sure about the role because the season (hasn’t) started, but I’m really working hard, working my (butt) off to be a part of it.”
To secure that role, Bidunga is trying to play with pace while continuing to do the things he excelled at in high school, namely rebounding and blocking shots.
He’s also putting on weight. Bidunga arrived in Lawrence in June weighing 222 pounds. After a summer of workouts, he reported he’s up to 235.
Bidunga is competing with redshirt junior Zach Clemence for the backup center spot. (Clemence, however, said he sees himself playing multiple positions, presumably including the four.)
The most likely outcome — at least early on — is Bidunga plays a few minutes off the bench. As he progresses, he will likely become the backup center.
That said, while Bidunga noted he’s learning from big men Dickinson, Clemence and KJ Adams, he is obviously leaving his own mark, too.
“Flory gets better every day,” Self said. “You can’t make major jumps every day, but incrementally he’s gotten better every day. There are some things he doesn’t do well and he’s not going to do well for a while, but he’s getting better at those things. There are things you just can’t teach — that motor, the quickness off his feet (and second jump). He’s a terrific quick-twitch athlete.”
Local News
Comments / 0