When the No. 11 Kansas Jayhawks took down BYU earlier this month in a 90-82 win over the then No. 13 Cougars, the nation was keen on seeing the duel between potential first picks Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa. Peterson notched 18 points on 6-8 shooting before cramping kept him out for most of the second half, as Dybantsa found it hard to garner any consistent momentum, as the game was constantly levitating to one person.
Flory Bidunga.
Bidunga finished the eventual win with 16 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. Bidunga’s elite defense mostly stifled Dybantsa, who finished with 17 points off of 12 shots and three free throws, causing Dybantsa to post his third-lowest scoring total all season.
A lasting impact for Bidunga
“In my opinion, the BYU game was great for us. because it gave Flory a chance to guard a guy that's on the national stage, and then they're either gonna talk about him, or they're gonna talk about Flory,” quoted head coach Bill Self following Kansas’ 71-59 win over Utah on Saturday.
“And I think there was numerous opportunities where he made himself look good, by doing that, and it's kind of energized him a little bit, and then he was the same way at [Texas] Tech, and then he was the same way today.”
Since BYU, Bidunga has combined for 31 points, on 14-16 from the field, 19 rebounds, three assists, and nine blocks, in each of Kansas’ last two wins, which extends their winning streak to seven wins on the spin.
Bidunga’s overall impact
While these stats do prove some of Bidunga’s worth on the court, an easier way to define the sophomore's dominance is by watching his work on the defensive end. Bidunga has been dragged out of the paint multiple times in recent weeks, and rather than looking like a fish out of water, Bidunga calmly escorts the opposition away from the hoop, something no stat can ever truly pick out. Combine that with his towering wingspan, and few would dare to cross his path.
A rising star
Perhaps the best gauge of Bidunga’s potential is the fact that he has pulled himself all the way to the first round, according to Bleacher Report’s latest 2026 NBA Mock Draft, where the Oklahoma City Thunder were projected to take the big man 37th overall.