The Kansas Jayhawks will have to fill in for Flory Bidunga next season. While his name will not go down as a fan-favorite amongst KU fans, his ability to impact the defensive side of every possession is proven by his multiple award nominations, and ultimately by his exit from Kansas, whether it is to the NBA or as the nation’s No. 1 transfer to the Louisville Cardinals.
While his offensive impact, often felt underwhelming, paled in comparison to his defensive skill set, Bidunga will be missed, and his exit means that the Jayhawks have to try to find someone to fill his gigantic shoes.
Paul Mbiya offers tremendous upside, but question marks remain over his current ability
Mbiya spent his freshman year backing up Bidunga, playing second fiddle, often struggling to get in the game, if it wasn’t for Bidunga getting into foul trouble at certain points throughout the season.
Mbiya averaged five minutes per game and made just 21 appearances. In those short minutes, Mbiya notched 1.2 and 1.4 rebounds. Mbiya’s breakout performances came in Kansas’ final games of the season.
In Kansas’ 68-60 win over Cal Baptist University, Mbiya had to fill in for the foul-ridden Bidunga. Mbiya took over down low and finished with eight points on 4-5 shooting, along with three rebounds and one block.
Just one game later, despite eventually bowing out to Rick Pitino’s St. John’s, Mbiya logged another 13 minutes and ended with four points and six rebounds with one block and four personal fouls.
Mbiya stands at a stubborn 7-foot-0, and his limited minutes during his first year showed a player who was still trying to play to his size. Mbiya often looked to use his height first and skill second, ultimately looking a little unorganized on the court. However, when Kansas needed him most in the first-round NCAA matchup against the Lancers, Mbiya stepped up and provided a big-time performance.
Christian Reeves brings a wealth of experience, but brings limited eligibility
Reeves stands at a monster 7-foot-1 stature and most recently plyed his trade at the College of Charleston, with stops at both Duke and Clemson beforehand. With both the Blue Devils and Tigers, Reeves struggled to make himself a mainstay, yet in his only season in the Coastal Athletic Association, Reeves averaged 11.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, doing it all on a stellar 65.4% from the field.
While his stats may not scream “All-Big 12” caliber, Reeves was reportedly not fully fit for much of last season, dealing with shoulder issues and recently undergoing shoulder surgery. Ankle problems hindered Reeves’ sophomore season with the Blue Devils, meaning maybe no one has seen the best of him yet.
Whether Reeves or Mbiya takes the brunt of the minutes next season, the backup will create one of the Big 12’s strongest big man rotations.
While the NCAA Transfer Portal is not officially closed and Grant Mordini is a 6-foot-10 center who was recently added, it is reasonable to expect that Reeves and Mbiya are the primary choices for next season.
More Kansas Basketball News
Add us as a preferred source on Google