In the not-so-distant past, there was a tried-and-true method of success. It has worked incredibly well for Kansas basketball for forty years.
Before the NIL era in college sports turned everything upside down. Kansas head coaches Larry Brown, Roy Williams, and Bill Self would recruit a couple of highly ranked recruits, then fill holes with good players who needed just a bit of polish.
These players from the second group would develop within the program, and by the time they were juniors and seniors, they'd be the stars. These players became All-Americans, like Devonte Graham, or National Players of the Year, like Frank Mason, or NBA players, like Scot Pollard.
Sometimes, they became strong pieces of winning programs, like Tyrel Reed and Landon Lucas. So many good players over the decades have developed at Kansas and had fine careers here. Coming to Kansas meant something, and players knew it.
With the coming of NIL dollars, things have changed drastically. Compensation for players was long overdue, and the NCAA buried its figurative head in the sand, ignored the problem, and naively hoped it would go away. It didn't, and now collegiate athletics are a chaotic mess for the programs and fans, but not the players and their families.
Scenarios like Flory Bidunga and Bryson Tiller leaving Kansas shouldn't be shocking
Back in the “old” days, programs might have lost a player or two that were at the bottom of the roster. That slowly started to change late in the 2010s, as players became less patient or willing to wait their turn within big-time programs like Kansas.
Still, it was unusual for a school like Kansas to lose many players they recruited. Since COVID and the growth of NIL money across the country, players no longer needed to wait their turn. They could go to another school with more opportunities and play immediately. And earn some money too.
Over the last several seasons, Kansas has seen a mass exodus almost every offseason. Three years ago, the Jayhawks saw underclassmen like Bobby Pettiford Jr., Ernest Udeh Jr., and Zuby Ejofor depart for better opportunities.
Self seemed caught off-guard and had a hard time filling those holes with quality transfers. KU struggled. He brought in better transfers the next season (on paper), with mixed results. He also had trouble bringing in quality freshmen, outside of Bidunga.
This past year, Self did an impressive job recruiting quality freshmen and talented transfers, but still it didn't quite work. As is his habit, Self tended to push most of his freshmen to the end of the bench, not allowing much in the way of in-game development.
After this past season, another mass exodus has taken place, with many of the players who didn't get minutes deciding to leave. This time, however, something much more cataclysmic happened. Two young starters, Bidunga and Tiller, decided to leave. This is almost unheard of at Kansas. Two young, talented starters who both played more than 25 minutes a game and were an integral part of the future for Kansas entered the transfer portal.
Just like that—gone! Both were players with enough talent to become All-Americans at Kansas, become legends, and see their numbers hanging in the rafters of the historic Allen Fieldhouse. Nothing like this has happened at KU.
But it is not unusual at most schools, especially over the last few seasons. Duke, North Carolina, and Kentucky all lose important players now. For many players, the brand and long-term legacy mean nothing. Now it is about money. Plain and simple. It is about money!
Please remember, a lot of the players are 18, 19, and 20 years old. They have numerous voices in their heads. While NIL has allowed players to get compensation, agents now play an immeasurable part in decision-making. Parents and guardians also play a big role, especially for college players who are fringe NBA prospects.
Bidunga is a prime example. He is a fantastic college player. His upside for the NBA is limited, and so is his earning power. He is an undersized center who can effectively guard perimeter college backcourt players, and he's also a terrific rim protector. But he can't shoot outside four feet. Take away lobs and offensive rebounds, and he isn't an effective scorer.
This may be the only chance for him and his family to earn a significant payday. There isn't much transparency as to what he got from KU last year, or what they offered to retain him, or what he's getting from Louisville. Now, Bidunga has no legacy at Kansas, and it is difficult to discern if he even cares. No one knows if this was his decision, his agent's, or his guardian's.
Tiller's move was also surprising. His future looked bright at Kansas. His skill set would have fit in with the incoming freshmen class. While he struggled at times this past season, the talent was obvious, and with a little more strength and polish, he would have been a star at Kansas.
This is the new era of college sports. Get used to it. The Kansas brand doesn't carry the weight it once did. Players and their families are not willing to wait to develop over a couple of seasons if they can get more money elsewhere. For many players, the Kansas name emblazoned across their chests and the atmosphere in the Phog isn't enough, even for starters.
There are well over 2,000 players in the transfer portal, and that number could grow to as many as 3,000 when all is said and done. All schools are affected one way or another.
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