The Kansas basketball program is currently undergoing a massive facelift. The biggest topic from last week was whether or not head coach Bill Self would return for his 24th season. Since Self has confirmed that he would be back instead of a calm from the frenzy, things have found a way to amp up even more as Flory Bidunga, Bryson Tiller, Paul Mbiya, and Elmarko Jackson have all hit the NCAA Transfer Portal.
The massive gap in the front court
Looking past Jackson, the Jayhawks are currently set to lose three players who could have played massive roles in and around the paint. Tiller just completed a good redshirt freshman season where his highs of quick movements inside, and a good offensive skill set, mostly ran his season.
Flory Bidunga had just completed a masterclass of a sophomore year that resulted in him being nominated to the All-Big 12 First Team, along with winning the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year, and being nominated to the conference’s defensive team.
Sure, Mbiya is probably the most raw prospect Kansas is potentially losing. His freshman campaign saw him largely fill in gaps where Bidunga was on the bench with foul trouble, or when the game was out of reach, but with Bidunga exiting, he was the natural replacement.
The Jayhawks’ center replacement could not make more sense
While the portal is never a guaranteed way to put a successful team together, it is where Kansas has to go if these players confirm their exits, and there is really only one person who should be their top priority.
Somto Cyril
With two years of eligibility remaining, Cyril would fit perfectly in KU’s system if they’re unable to get Bidunga to withdraw from the portal, and he would likely come at a cheaper price. Cyril is coming off a season in which he was named to the SEC All-Defensive Team and was one of the most consistently dominant bigs in the conference all year. The young man from Nigeria averaged 9.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game while shooting a remarkable 75.9% from the field this season. He is one of the best big men in the portal, but he clearly has another level he can tap into—and Bill Self could be a big reason if he’s able to do so.
Throughout his high school career, he was heavily courted by Kansas, and he showed a ton of interest in return. Ultimately, Kansas secured a commitment from Flory Bidunga in that same class and removed itself from the race for Cyril. Now, things have a chance to come full circle if Kansas is able to bring him to Lawrence this offseason. –Hibdon
Cyril will have his suitors, but with so much up in the air over next year’s roster, Self can’t miss here.
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