Auburn has reportedly become a top contender to land the services of Kansas big man Flory Bidunga following his decision to enter the transfer portal earlier this month. Bidunga, who committed to Kansas over Auburn just over a year ago, is considered one of the top front court players currently in the portal.
247 Sports college basketball analyst Travis Branham called the Tigers the "team to beat" when speaking about Bidunga's preferred list of destinations. He still did mention there is a decent chance the No. 1 ranked center in the portal returns to Kansas, although Auburn was still the "team to beat".
An incoming sophomore, Bidunga was the No. 14 ranked prospect and No. 1 ranked center in last year's class according to 247 Sports. While Auburn recruited the 6-foot-9 big man heavily, he ultimately decided to join Bill Self and a Kansas team that was ranked No. 1 in most preseason polls.
Bidunga's freshman campaign did not go as he hoped, likely leading to his decision to test the waters in the portal. The freshman started just 6 of the 34 games he appeared in for the Jayhawks, finishing his season averaging 5.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in a very competitive Big 12 conference. The talented freshman had a minimal role in postseason play as well, as he averaged just 14 minutes per game across three contests in the BIG 12 and NCAA Tournaments.
With Johni Broome and Dylan Cardwell moving on from the Plains after this season, a commitment from Bidunga would immediately rejuvenate an Auburn front court in need of elite options for 2025. We'll likely get a clearer picture of what the sophomore plans to do in the coming days.
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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn named 'team to beat' in pursuit of top transfer portal center
