After a disappointing exit within the second spherical of the NCAA match final 12 months, head coach Invoice Self and the Kansas Jayhawks sought to enhance the workforce’s roster, with an added emphasis on depth, which had been a problem at occasions in 2023.
Consequently, the Jayhawks hit the switch portal and hit it laborious, touchdown Alabama guard Rylen Griffen, South Dakota State guard Zeke Mayo, Wisconsin guard AJ Storr and Northern Illinois guard David Coit to enhance returning starters Hunter Dickinson, DaJuan Harris, and KJ Adams.
The aim? Create a powerful rotation that was full of each top-end expertise and elite-level depth to turn into the highest workforce in faculty basketball.
And it was a very good technique. Griffen was an elite scorer for a powerful Alabama workforce final 12 months, taking pictures 39.2 p.c from deep. He introduced good wing dimension at 6’6”, 190 kilos to enhance a number of the workforce’s smaller guards.
Mayo, Storr and Coit every averaged not less than 16.8 factors at their earlier locations, exhibiting a knack for placing the ball within the basket, whereas all having differing talent units to a point.
Nevertheless, one piece was lacking from the equation: a backup heart for Dickinson.
Insert in five-star freshman Flory Bidunga, the top-ranked heart within the 2024 class who was extremely wanted by a number of blue-blood faculties earlier than selecting Kansas as his subsequent vacation spot.
As a freshman, Bidunga’s position wasn’t anticipated to be a serious one, as he was going to be enjoying behind the robust high eight that Kansas regarded to acquire. However, by means of his first 4 video games with the Jayhawks, it’s clear that he’ll be a major issue for Kansas when spelling Dickinson for 10-Quarter-hour an evening as a pure vitality man off the bench.
Flory Bidunga gave Kansas 4 dunks, 4 shares in 17 minutes final night time. Made the ring look 9 ft. Highly effective and explosive leaping. Fast rolling off screens. Robust beneath the rim. Appears like he ought to shoot 70+% from the ground this 12 months enjoying to his strengths. pic.twitter.com/cxRXB03LqZ
— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) November 5, 2024
In simply 13.5 minutes a contest, Bidunga has averaged 9.0 factors and 5.3 rebounds, taking pictures 80 p.c from the sphere. He’s additionally discovered a option to be an element on the defensive finish, recording 1.3 blocks and 0.5 steals in these minutes as nicely. For reference, his per-40-minute numbers can be 27 factors, 17 rebounds, 4 blocks, and a pair of steals. Speak about exercise.
Whereas it’s been a small pattern dimension, Bidunga’s fast ascension into a top quality participant has allowed head coach Invoice Self to belief him in high-leverage minutes. In a serious recreation in opposition to the UNC Tar Heels, Dickinson was on the bench greater than anticipated within the second half with foul hassle, placing the freshmen into an in depth recreation in opposition to a high workforce within the nation.
Bidunga rewarded Self with eight factors and eight rebounds in simply 11 minutes, whereas fouling solely as soon as and getting a block.
That belief was developed throughout the offseason, the place Bidunga was an enormous riser throughout coaching camp, as his athleticism and bodily expertise have been continuously on show.
He’s gotten higher on a regular basis,” Self mentioned final month. “There’s belongings you simply can’t educate. That motor, quickness off his ft, that second bounce… He’s a terrific quick-twitch athlete.”
Kansas has a authentic risk to win the Nationwide Championship this 12 months after their disappointing end a season in the past within the second spherical. And this time, it’s due to their elite depth, which Bidunga has performed an important position in, behind a gaggle of skilled starters.
