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Bill Self and the Kansas basketball program know that the transfer portal isn't all about who you bring in. It's also about who you keep from leaving. After Jayhawks' freshman center Flory Bidunga put his name in the portal, Self was able to keep the big man in Lawrence for next season.
“Sources: Coveted big-man Flory Bidunga, one of the top transfers in the portal, has agreed to a deal to stay at Kansas, he told ESPN,” Pete Thamel reported. “The move keeps [Flory Budinga] in Lawrence and represents a huge victory for Bill Self as he rebuilds the Kansas roster.”
Bidunga, a five-star recruit from the Congo—via an Indiana high school—averaged 5.9 points and 5.4 rebounds in 16.3 minutes per game. Reports were that he was unhappy with his playing time, often sitting in favor of fifth-year senior Hunter Dickinson.
After seventh-seeded Kansas crashed out to 10-seed Arkansas in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Bidunga announced he would weigh his options in the transfer portal. This was despite the fact that Bill Self is bringing in Darryn Peterson, a 6-foot-5, five-star shooting guard and the No. 2 high school prospect in the country, only behind BYU commit AJ Dybantsa.
Ahead of the 2025-26 season, Peterson told the media that “Flory” was the Jayhawks player he was most looking forward to playing with.
Now, with Bidunga back on board and Paterson incoming, the Kansas basketball team should be one of the most talented in the country next season. In addition to these two, Self is also bringing in 4-star, 6-foot-8 small forward Samis Calderon, 6-foot-7 former Illinois guard Tre White, and 6-foot-4 former Loyola (Chicago) guard Jayden Dawson.
This transformation was necessary for Self and the Kansas basketball program as his current veteran-heavy team will lose all five of its top scorers from last season. Dickinson, Zeke Mayo, KJ Adams, and Dejuan Harris Jr. were all seniors this past season and junior guard Rylan Griffen has entered the transfer portal himself.
