Congo native Flory Bidunga becoming a phenom in U.S.
Flory Bidunga might be the most under-the-radar, top-two player in recent memory but he’s making a big name for himself very quickly. Originally from the Congo, Bidunga moved to Kokomo, Ind., in 2021, and he has caught the eyes of many scouts across multiple landscapes since being in the United States.
At 6-foot-9 and roughly 220 pounds with broad shoulders, he’s hard to miss when you enter the gym. Bidunga is even harder to miss when the game starts. His motor only functions at the highest speed. He dunks everything and blocks even more than he dunks. Bidunga has great end-to-end speed and functions very well athletically. He’s adding to his offensive game and has shown more touch and feel over the last year, playing with patience in the post and making reads as a passer.
Rivals analyst Travis Graf was in attendance for Kokomo’s practice on Wednesday afternoon, along with the entire Indiana Hoosiers staff.
Graf spoke with Bidunga and tried to answer the question: “Who exactly is Flory Bidunga?”
While Bidunga doesn’t talk much about recruiting, he addressed his path to basketball, who he tries to emulate on the court and more.
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IN HIS OWN WORDS
Who he watches most in the NBA: “Basically, my favorite player is Giannis Antetokounmpo. I try to play like him, work like him and do stuff like him.”
What he’s been working on: “My right hand, post moves, shooting, around the basket and getting up and down.”
If he pays attention to when colleges watch him play: “No, I have to focus and have to play basketball. If I get distracted or don’t pay attention and just think about people coming in, like, I have to work. I have to work if I want them to come in, so I have to pay attention to coach when we are playing basketball.”
Purdue visit: “Purdue was great. I saw the campus, practice, the stadium and the people.”
Upcoming visits: “Not right now. We’ll try to (arrange a visit ) with the coaches, and as soon as possible. They’ll let me know.”
When he started playing basketball: “I’ve played basketball for three years now. That’s when I was 14, I started in my country. I was getting tall and some tall dudes saw me and said ‘You should play basketball.’ And I said ‘OK, let’s try’. I started playing basketball, and I like basketball. I used to play soccer for nine or 10 years.”
How his approach has changed since becoming a top prospect: “Oh, no (it hasn’t changed). Yes, I get top two, top three, top seven, but nothing has changed with me. I want to play basketball, try to develop myself and try to be the best of me.”
Goals for high school season: “Championship. Champions. We got caught last year in semi-state, but we will make it this year.”
What he’s looking for in a school: “I would say every player would of course like to play more. With me personally, and with my family back home, they put a lot into education. So I would say my education, my degree and play basketball.”