Kansas star Flory Bidunga navigates NBA Draft waters and transfer portal. Will he declare or return, impacting college basketball's landscape?
Flory Bidunga Declares for NBA Draft, Enters Transfer Portal
Kansas forward Flory Bidunga is testing the NBA Draft waters while also entering the transfer portal, according to reports from ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Bidunga, who will maintain his college eligibility, is coming off a strong sophomore season where he averaged 13.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game in an expanded role. The 6-foot-10 big man established himself as one of the top defensive anchors in the country, earning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors.
A former McDonald’s All-American and five-star recruit, Bidunga has long been viewed as a high-upside prospect. ESPN’s Jeremy Woo currently projects him as the No. 44 overall pick in the latest NBA Mock Draft.
This marks the second straight offseason Bidunga has explored his options. He entered the transfer portal following the 2024-25 season before ultimately returning to Kansas.
Now, he’ll again go through both processes, evaluating NBA feedback while keeping the door open for a potential return to college. If he withdraws from the draft, Bidunga is expected to be one of the most sought-after players in the transfer portal.
His decision also signals the beginning of a pivotal offseason for Kansas, with additional roster moves, including a likely NBA departure from Darryn Peterson, still looming.
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Tyran Stokes Reacts to Bill Self’s Return as Kansas Regains Recruiting Momentum
Kansas head coach Bill Self isn’t going anywhere, and that alone may have shifted the entire tone of Kansas basketball’s offseason.
After days of speculation about a possible retirement, Self confirmed Wednesday he will return to coach the Jayhawks for the 2026–27 season. The decision immediately sent a ripple effect through recruiting, including a subtle but telling reaction from Kansas’ top remaining target.
Five-star forward Tyran Stokes, the No. 1 prospect in the 2026 class, reacted to the news on X with a surprised emoji. It wasn’t a full statement or commitment hint, but it was enough to get attention. And right now, everything matters in this recruitment.
Stokes has been one of Kansas’ top priorities for months, and the uncertainty surrounding Self’s future had created at least some hesitation. Programs like Arkansas had started gaining traction while rumors swirled. Now, that uncertainty is gone. Kansas is firmly back in position.
The 6-foot-7, 230-pound forward out of Rainier Beach High School in Washington would be a program-changing addition. He’s widely viewed as one of the most complete prospects in the country and would give Kansas a rare opportunity to land back-to-back No. 1 overall recruits, following Darryn Peterson.
More importantly, Self’s return restores something Kansas couldn’t sell during the speculation: stability. That matters not just for Stokes, but for the rest of the 2026 class as well. Any concerns about current commits wavering can likely be put to rest. The direction of the program is clear again.
Does a single emoji mean Stokes is Kansas-bound? No. But in a recruitment this tight, even small signals are worth monitoring. What is clear is this: Kansas is no longer recruiting from a position of uncertainty. With Self back on the sideline, the Jayhawks have regained their footing, and possibly the edge, in one of the most important recruitments of the cycle. Now, the focus shifts to when Stokes makes his decision.