Why Kansas Basketball’s Exhibition vs. Louisville Has More Juice Than Usual

Kansas opened its preseason slate with a victory over Pittsburg State during Late Night in the Phog. It was a different format than past Late Night events when the Jayhawks would typically compete in an intrasquad scrimmage amongst themselves.

It was good to see KU players competing together on this new-look roster, but at the end of the day, it was against a Division II opponent. The team's next exhibition should offer a lot more excitement for the Allen Fieldhouse faithful.

The Louisville Cardinals, a projected top-3 team in the ACC, will come to Lawrence this Wednesday to take on the Jayhawks in a scrimmage. While it won't count toward either team's official record, Bill Self is expected to take it a lot more seriously than he did Friday's contest.

The real reason this matchup has more buzz behind it, though, is who is making his return to the Phog. One of Louisville's most lauded additions of the offseason happens to be a former Jayhawk who likely won't be greeted too kindly when he comes back to Kansas.

Big man Flory Bidunga spent two years with the Jayhawks before entering the transfer portal this past April. He considered going pro and declared for the NBA Draft, but ultimately decided he wanted to continue on the collegiate route with a new school.

Bidunga has already earned preseason accolades like making the Preseason All-ACC First Team and receiving the third-most votes to win ACC Preseason Player of the Year. The rim-protecting Congo native averaged 13.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks in his first full season as a starter at KU.

Not every player who leaves a school does so on bad terms, but Bidunga's exit wasn't particularly pretty. He recently made headlines during an interview at the ACC Basketball Tipoff when he explained that he didn't return to Kansas because he didn't want to "waste a year" with the Jayhawks, which many felt was a backhanded comment toward his former coach and team.

I asked Louisville big man Flory Bidunga, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year last season, why he would transfer from Kansas to play for coach Pat Kelsey and the Cardinals in the ACC. His response: pic.twitter.com/kk5dhnq77w
— Steve Reed (@SteveReedAP) October 6, 2026

Furthermore, the Cardinals are believed to have one of the largest NIL collectives in the nation, with some outlets reporting Bidunga received up to $5 million to play in the Bluegrass State. Perhaps KU fans would have viewed his decision more leniently if it were for playing-time reasons. Money, however, is a whole different story.

Kansas standout and former teammate Melvin Council Jr. isn't overlooking his former running mate's return, either. He made it abundantly clear that there is no love lost with the big man in a recent media appearance.

Last season, the Jayhawks partook in an exhibition at Louisville's KFC Yum! Center and took the Cardinals down 90-82 in an exciting showdown. This year's edition should be just as, if not more, fun, with all the chatter surrounding Bidunga.

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