Flory Bidunga will likely make his college decision this upcoming weekend. Can Kansas basketball land the top-5 prospect in the Class of 2024?
Considering the Kansas Jayhawks 2024 class is without a commitment, fans are itching to hear some good news on the recruiting trail. There is a chance that it could come in less than a week if Flory Bidunga decides he would like to play in Lawrence.
Bidunga, the No. 4 ranked 2024 prospect and No. 1 ranked center according to 247 Sports, is a dynamic talent. At 6-foot-8, 215 lbs, he brings a tremendous amount of energy to the floor. Bidunga can run the floor, score inside, and block shots at an elite level.
He recently released his final list of schools, which consists of Kansas, Duke, Michigan, and Auburn. The native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo visited KU on the weekend of May 12, later taking a trip to Duke on June 21. The word is that he will not embark on any more official visits, leaving Auburn and U of M as the odd men out.
People close to the situation believe Bidunga plans to select his school before he returns to Kokomo High School on Aug. 2. His likely announcement date is July 29, but he has not confirmed that piece of information yet.
If he were to become a Jayhawk, he’d become the third-highest-ranked high school commit from the time that recruiting sites started tracking players. His 0.9989-grade trails only Andrew Wiggins and Josh Jackson, players that were both at the top of their class.
READ: KU basketball Class of 2024 contact list tracker
Granted, Kansas basketball is not leading the race for the highly coveted big man. Ever since Duke reached out to him last month and hosted him for a visit, they’ve been considered the favorites. After all, the Blue Devils consistently bring in 5-star recruits each year. That is something that head coach Bill Self’s group cannot say.
Kansas has also maintained interest in fellow centers Derik Queen and Patrick Ngongba. There had been reports that Queen was in the midst of scheduling a visit to campus, while the Jayhawks had just gotten involved in Ngongba’s commitment. They will definitely pursue those two players more if Bidunga pledges to Jon Scheyer.
Fans should not be worried about where Auburn and Michigan stand. Neither school can offer the level of coaching, culture, or NIL benefits. Duke, on the other hand, is as good as it gets when it comes to those aspects.
Another factor that must be looked into is that Bidunga is an international prospect, which could impact how he makes money off NIL. In that case, his decision could come down to where he feels more comfortable.
Make no mistake: It’s a two-school competition for Flory Bidunga. Who will prevail? We’ll likely know within the next few days.
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