Kansas basketball: Bill Self continues to show he’s at the top of his game

There is perhaps no head coach or program in college basketball who’s had a more productive summer than Bill Self and Kansas basketball – a summer which got even better following yesterday’s news.

In a surprise move, 2024 five-star center Flory Bidunga announced his intention to play for KU while at the Under Armour Next Elite 24 game in Atlanta, Georgia.

The 6-foot-9 Bidunga – who is originally from Congo and now plays at Kokomo High School in Indiana – is the No. 1 ranked center and a consensus top-five recruit in the 2024 class according to Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN.

Should he sign his letter of intent later this year, Bidunga will become the third highest ranked recruit to sign with KU in the Self era behind only Andrew Wiggins and Josh Jackson.

Both Duke and Auburn appeared to be the front-runner for his commitment at different points throughout the last several weeks, but Bidunga ended up choosing the Jayhawks over them and Michigan when it was all said and done – and Self was a key reason why.

"“Coach [Bill] Self and staff were constantly at my games,” Bidunga told ESPN. “I see him as a coach who will push me and teach me on the court. Off the court, he is a caring and nice guy.”"

The Bidunga news is just the latest in what has been a wildly successful offseason for Self and the Jayhawks.

In April – just a year removed from winning his second national championship – Self landed a commitment from sharp-shooting Towson transfer Nick Timberlake. He followed that up by landing Texas transfer and former five-star guard Arterio Morris just two weeks later.

Then, in early May, Self acquired his best transfer prospect ever and the top-ranked player available in the 2023 transfer portal in center Hunter Dickinson.

With the addition of Santa Clara transfer Parker Braun – brother of former Jayhawk Christian Braun – a few weeks later, Self had undoubtedly secured the No. 1-ranked transfer class in the country.

Then, later that month, KU received the huge news that Kevin McCullar Jr. would be withdrawing from the NBA Draft and returning to play for Self and the Jayhawks.

“How about one more year Jayhawk nation,” McCullar said. “To be able to play in front of the best fans in the country; to play for the best coach in the nation, I truly believe we have the pieces to hang another banner in the Phog. Rock Chalk! Let’s do it!”

Self called the return of McCullar the biggest thing that happened to the program this offseason – and he’s not wrong. But McCullar doesn’t make that move without Self being the coach and recruiter that he is.

Because of those additions, KU was named as the preseason No. 1 team in the country by nearly every major media outlet heading into the 2023-24 season.

But Self wasn’t done yet.

Earlier this month, KU landed one of the biggest international prospects in school history in Johnny Furphy.

The 6-foot-7 small forward out of Australia who announced that he would be reclassifying to the 2023 class, chose the Jayhawks over interest from Gonzaga, Duke and others.

Once again, Self was the difference maker.

"“I think everybody knows that Kansas is one of the basketball programs in the United States but what made the difference in the end was coach Self explaining the role he had in mind for me,” Furphy told 247Sports. “To be honest, I was nervous about coming to such a big program but coach [Bill] Self has given me confidence that he both wants and needs me at Kansas.”"

Both on the court and on the recruiting trail, there’s no college basketball coach in the country who’s hotter than Bill Self right now.

Kansas fans are spoiled beyond words to have a coach who has such steady control of the program as Self does. And if Self continues this hot streak he’s on, he’ll have KU primed to be a national championship contender for years to come.