"Bill Self and the No. 4 seed Kansas Jayhawks opened up the 2026 NCAA Tournament with a 68-60 win over No. 13 seed California Baptist Lancers in the first round. However, Kansas' March Madness run didn't last much longer, falling to Rick Pitino and the No. 5 seed St. John's Red Storm in the Round of 32, ending their 2025-26 college basketball season."
"Flory Bidunga, a 6-foot-10 forward from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, was a five-star prospect in the class of 2024 coming out of Kokomo High School. He ranked as the 14th-best overall recruit in his class, along with the fourth-best center and the best out of the state of Indiana."
"Bidunga earned a significant role with Kansas during his freshman year in 2024-25, averaging 16.3 minutes across 34 games, including six starts. His role expanded even further this season, as he became the full-time starter and averaged 13.3 points on 64.0% shooting, along with 9.0 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game."
"On Thursday, Bidunga decided it was time for a change, announcing his plans to enter the college basketball transfer portal while also testing the NBA Draft waters, leaving Self and the Jayhawks without one of their top stars moving forward."
The Kansas Jayhawks, seeded No. 4, won their first-round game against California Baptist but lost to St. John's in the Round of 32. Head coach Bill Self remains committed to the program for the next season, despite losing top player Darryn Peterson to the NBA Draft. Flory Bidunga, a standout player and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, announced his entry into the transfer portal while also considering the NBA Draft, leaving the team without a key contributor for the upcoming season.
Read at Athlon Sports
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