On Tuesday, Flory Bidunga and the Kansas Jayhawks beat a frisky Syracuse Orange team 71-60 in their second game of the Players Era Festival. Bidunga showcased his intriguing upside as an NBA prospect yet again, recording 13 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks. He did struggle in the turnover department with 7 TOs, but still clearly bolstered his NBA stock.
On the season, Bidunga is now averaging an impressive 16.7 PPG (on 69.8% shooting), 7.7 RPG, 2.7 BPG, and 2.0 APG. He has been a force on both ends of the floor, and while to start the year, he was viewed as a fringe first-round pick for the NBA, it is becoming more and more obvious that he might be a lock for the first round… So let's look at some NBA player comparisons!
For these Bidunga NBA player comparisons, we will look at his anticipated floor, what a standard baseline would be, and explore what his ceiling could be compared to current players in the league. These comparisons are based upon what the players' current play and ability are, not what their peak was, or eventual potential is.
Flory Bidunga could be the next great “undersized” NBA center
Bidunga’s biggest asset in terms of being an NBA prospect is his freakish athleticism and length for his size. Standing at 6’9”, one might think he is a bit too small to be a true NBA center, but his 7’4” wingspan and incredible hops make him an elite shot-blocker and lob threat. He has also developed some nice post moves in his sophomore year at Kansas.
Flory’s Floor:
Moussa Cisse - Once the 24th overall prospect in the 2020 college class, Cisse spent 5 years in college at 3 different schools, averaging 6.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 1.7 BPG in 150 collegiate games. After going undrafted, he did find a nice landing spot with the Dallas Mavericks and has averaged 3.3 PPG, 3.6 RPG, and 1.2 BPG in 10.5 MPG across 15 appearances.
Moussa Diabate - Another Moussa, but it also fits! Diabate is one of the many Frenchmen in the NBA and was drafted 43rd overall in the 2022 NBA draft. After two uneventful seasons with the Clippers, he has broken out a bit with the Charlotte Hornets and is averaging 10.0 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 1.2 BPG this season in 23.2 MPG off the bench.
Adem Bona - Bona and Bidunga are nearly identical in size comparisons, and much like Bidunga, Bona is also a bit of an athletic freak, which he proved in two years at UCLA before being drafted 41st overall in the 2024 NBA draft. He is now a depth piece for the 76ers, averaging 5.2 PPG, 4/2 RPG, and 1.3 BPG in 15.5 MPG across two seasons.
Bidunga’s Baseline:
Day’Ron Sharpe - Drafted 29th overall in the 2021 NBA draft, Sharpe has made the most of being a late-round selection and netted himself a two-year $12 million deal this offseason. In 5 years with the Nets, he has averaged 6.5 PPG, 5.6 RPG, and 0.7 BPG on 55.5% shooting from the field. Bidunga is a better rim protector than Sharpe, but there are a lot of other similarities.
Clint Capela - In his prime, Capela was a very quality starter in the NBA, even leading the league in rebounds one year. At age 31, however, he is starting to slow down. Last season with the Hawks, Capela averaged 8.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 1.0 BPG, and this year with the Rockets, those numbers and his playing time have decreased even more.
Robert Williams - While Timelord is not healthy very often at all, when he is on the court, he encapsulates exactly what Bidunga could become as a shot-blocking athlete and FG% monster. Williams was drafted 27th overall in the 2018 draft, which could be right around where Bidunga is drafted as well.
The Ceiling Comparisons:
Onyeka Okongwu - If Bidunga is able to develop a jumper (or even three-point range), there is a chance that this is the perfect player comparison for him. Drafted 6th overall in 2020, Okongwu has been brought along slowly but is starting to shine this year, averaging 16.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, and 1.0 BPG, while shooting 40.7% from beyond the arc on 4.8 attempts per game.
Jarrett Allen - Another big man who has turned being a late first-round pick (22nd overall) into a long career, thanks to defense, is Allen, who spent 3.5 years in Brooklyn with the Nets before being traded and re-signed by the Cleveland Cavaliers. This year, he is averaging 14.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 0.9 BPG in 26.0 MPG across 14 starts.
Jalen Duren - Having a breakout season himself in the NBA, Duren has developed nicely with the Pistons and is now averaging 20.3 PPG and 11.5 RPG on a remarkable 67.1% shooting to go along with 0.9 blocks per game. Built at 6’10”, 250 pounds, Duren’s body type is also something that Flory could aim for as he eventually bulks up.
If Bidunga can continue to thrive this season, he will find himself in strong consideration for a first-round selection. The fact that NBA scouts will be out and about trying to watch Darryn Peterson in action will also help his cause and boost his stock. Rock Chalk!
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