Hunter Dickinson looking forward to playing with Flory Bidunga

Hunter Dickinson is back to be the starting center for Kansas this season. He’ll have more depth in the frontcourt whether behind or alongside him, though, with the addition of Flory Bidunga, the Jayhawks’ top recruit from their incoming class.

Dickinson shared his thoughts on Bidunga during a recent availability with media. What has stood out to him and their team early on are his athletic gifts. It’s just a matter of how those traits will translate from out of high school and into his career in college.

“I really like his aggressiveness on his jump. You know, super active out there,” Dickinson noted. “Obviously, everybody knows his athleticism.”

“I think just continuing to get him used to the college game. Ramsey (Nijem), I think, will be a big factor in that,” said Dickinson. “He has got so much potential. Everybody can see it in the gym. Just trying to make sure that he maximizes it here at Kansas.”

Dickinson will also play a role in Bidunga’s development as well. He will be the one going up against him often in practice. That will give him the chance to challenge him while also an opportunity to teach him what he knows after his own collegiate years.

“It’s fun to guard him. He’s a really talented guy,” said Dickinson.

“He’s going to be my teammate for the next year and hopefully we can have that relationship where I can try to mentor him and show him as much as I can, help him out in his career as much as I can. Do, you know, what guys before me did,” Dickinson said. “That’ll be fun.”

Bidunga hails from Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He came overseas to play high school basketball and attended Kokomo in Indiana. He was a four-star prospect there as the No. 17 overall recruit in the 2024 cycle. That’s according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He also rated as the No. 4 C in the class and top prospect from his state.

Bidunga has faded a bit in the ratings since his commitment to Kansas back in August. He used to be a Five-Star+ talent as the top center and a top-five recruit in the class. Still, that slide doesn’t take away from what he could still bring to Lawrence as a prospect.

Bidunga comes in as part of a two-man class of four-stars for the Jayhawks in ’24. He arrives alongside Rakease Passmore, who ranked as the No. 42 player in the class as a Top-15 SF. They together make up the No. 9 recruiting class in the country in On3’s 2024 Industry Basketball Team Recruiting Rankings.

Dickinson will say a majority of the minutes down low for Kansas as their returning starter. That leaves him as a great guide for Bidunga as the fifth-year takes the freshman under his arm.