Flory Bidunga Is Testing the NBA Waters While Keeping KU on the Table

Kansas sophomore Flory Bidunga just made a huge chess move. He's declaring for the NBA draft while keeping his college eligibility intact, sources told ESPN on Thursday. Translation: he's going to test the waters and see what the pro game has to offer, but he's also entering the transfer portal to keep all his options open. The dude is not closing any doors.

The Numbers That Make Him Untouchable

Here's why everyone is paying attention. Bidunga is 6-foot-10, 235 pounds, and he can do basically everything a modern NBA team wants from a big man. This season for the Jayhawks, he averaged 13.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. But the real story is in the detail work. He finished third in the Big 12 in rebounding. He led the entire conference in blocks with 2.6 per game. And get this: he led the Big 12 in field goal percentage by nearly 7%, hitting 64% of his shots. That's elite efficiency. He was even a candidate for national defensive player of the year.

What This Actually Means for Bidunga

ESPN's Jeremy Woo has him projected as a second-round pick at No. 44 in the NBA draft. That's solid, but here's the thing: if he comes back for his junior year, he immediately becomes the top player available in the transfer portal once it opens Tuesday (the day after the NCAA title game). According to ESPN's Jeff Borzello, that puts him ahead of more than 800 players who have already entered the portal. In a market where college big men are getting premium dollars, Bidunga returning to KU would make him one of the most coveted players in the entire country. He's got leverage either way, and he knows it.

Watch this space. The next few weeks will tell us everything about where one of the best young big men in college basketball sees his future.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.