NCAA Basketball: Impact of Kansas landing 5-star center Flory Bidunga

One of the top class of 2024 NCAA Basketball prospects made his decision on Saturday night. Flory Bidunga, who was a big riser up the rankings from the past 12 months into a five-star prospect, is currently ranked in the top-5 overall. He’s a 6’8 center known for his elite athleticism and capable shot-blocking ability. His offensive game has plenty of potential as well as he does have some skill.

A month ago, Bidunga had limited his list of options to four in Duke, Auburn, Michigan, and Kansas. For a while. it was starting to look as if the Blue Devils would land yet another five-star player. But when it comes to the recruitment of young prospects, never assume it’s done until an announcement is made.

And this one went in Kansas’s favor, landing its future starting center. He’s yet another big-time commitment coming to the Big 12, which is loading up on talent up and down on the roster. But where do the Jayhawks and the other programs involve go from here? This is a look at the aftermath of Bidunga’s decision.

Where Michigan goes after missing out on Flory Bidunga

Of the four teams, Michigan probably paid the least amount of attention to the Bidunga sweepstakes. Although they made the final cut, the Big Ten program was never truly in the mix. Coach Juwan Howard has proven to be a quality recruiter, as the team is still involved with a number of top-100 prospects, even despite coming off a poor past year where they missed the NCAA Tournament.

Michigan is going to lose a pair of big men (Olivier Nkamhoua and Tray Jackson) after next season but they should still have Tarris Reed, a former top-50 prospect, going forward. He’s stepping in for Hunter Dickinson at the center spot and is the projected start. How the sophomore plays next season will determine whether the Wolverines need a starting or backup big man in the 2024 class.