In a recent report, On3 basketball analyst Joe Tipton reported that the Kansas Jayhawks were one of the two teams leading the pack in the hunt for elite Congolese prospect Paul Mbiya, who is considered to be one of the top defensive prospects in the world.
Mbiya recently signed with the NC State Wolfpack but decommitted and requested release from his National Letter of Intent on Wednesday. Now, he has expressed continued interest in the Jayhawks but has also shared his liking for the Oregon Ducks.
Obviously, Kansas head coach Bill Self is no stranger to the recruiting game, continuously bringing in top-five classes for the Jayhawks. However, Oregon head coach Dana Altman has had a pipeline of international players in his program.
Two early schools to watch for former NC State big man Paul Mbiya (On3+): https://t.co/0ocBMZCWUS https://t.co/qW85J4TBTh pic.twitter.com/cmX9gvqqYf
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) June 19, 2025
During his initial recruitment process, four schools emerged as front-runners for Mbiya's commitment: Kansas, Oregon, NC State, and the Kansas State Wildcats. However, after initially signing with the Wolfpack, his interests seem to have narrowed to the Ducks and the Jayhawks.
Last year, Mbiya played for the U21 French basketball club ASVEL Villeurbanne and racked up an impressive stat line, despite shockingly only starting his basketball career just a few years ago. It doesn't hurt that he stands at 6-foot-11 and his wingspan stretches out to 7-foot-7.
Paul Mbiya season stats, ASVEL Villeurbanne
- 15.5 points per game
- 11.3 rebounds per game
- 3.2 blocks per game
- 1.2 steals per game
Averaging a double-double is impressive for anyone, much less someone who hadn't stepped onto a court at a competitive level for most of his life. Now, Mbiya is looking to join a collegiate program that could set him up for the best possible future, which will likely be in the NBA.