Will Flory Bidunga Return to Kansas, Enter the NBA Draft, or Transfer?

The Kansas player with the biggest decision to make this offseason is sophomore big man Flory Bidunga. The Congo native just wrapped up his second year in Lawrence and will have to determine whether he wants to spend another year at the university.

In 35 games this season, he averaged 13.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game en route to an All-Big 12 First Team selection. A breakout star, Bidunga took one of the biggest jumps of any player in the entire country.

Most mock drafts project Bidunga to be selected in the early-to-mid second round or even as early as the late first round, though you'd be hard-pressed to find many predictions like that. Is he a strong enough draft prospect to go pro after two campaigns?

Evaluating Flory Bidunga as an NBA Draft Prospect

Bidunga's biggest strength is as a rim protector and shot-blocker, evidenced by his conference-leading block number. His freakishly lengthy wingspan allows him to contest nearly any shot at the rim and forces opposing players to reconsider testing their luck against him.

Almost all of Bidunga's points come within six feet of the basket or the free-throw line, where he has shot a lifetime 61.8% in the NCAA. Since he has such an impressive vertical for his size, he can rise up for several dunks a game and might have thrown down more alley oops than any other player in the country this season.

Despite his long arms, Bidunga is still quite undersized as a true five. He stands at 6-foot-9, which is rather short for someone with the skill set he possesses.

Bidunga is a traditional big who specializes on the defensive end and on the defensive glass. Still, it is difficult to see why an NBA team would want to spend an early draft pick on a center who doesn't have much of a post game or imposing size.

He feels like someone who can carve out a long career in the league as a backup big man, which is a perfectly fine role to have. For him to become anything more than that, he'll have to expand his game outside the paint and build more muscle to avoid being bullied by stronger centers.

Could Flory Bidunga Play Collegiately at a Different School?

While Bidunga will certainly be looking to impress NBA Draft scouts with his ability, going pro is not the only option for him. He could return to Kansas for his junior year or even enter the transfer portal to explore other collegiate opportunities.

Last year, Bidunga briefly entered the transfer portal before returning to the university and staying with Kansas. His reasoning was that he had concerns after playing sparingly in his freshman year behind Hunter Dickinson and may have also been seeking a larger NIL payout.

Before the season even ended, there was speculation that Bidunga might be eyeing opportunities from other schools that could offer more in NIL compensation. This has led to widespread uncertainty about his future as a Jayhawk.

Head coach Bill Self has refused to comment on these rumors in the past, but the uncertainty surrounding his own future at the school adds another layer to Bidunga's situation. He has played for Coach Self in both of his collegiate seasons and may not be willing to stick it out with KU if a new face takes over the program.

We should learn more about these circumstances in the coming weeks, but Bidunga's decision is one to monitor more closely than anyone else's on the team. What he decides this offseason could ultimately shape the trajectory of his basketball career.