Former Kansas forward Flory Bidunga has committed to Louisville, according to multiple reports on Sunday.
ESPN was first with the news of Bidunga’s commitment, along with that of Oregon transfer guard Jackson Shelstad, after both visited the program after the weekend.
Bidunga’s formal departure brings to a conclusion his second stint in the transfer portal in two years. After his freshman campaign at KU, he had entered the portal for about a week before opting to return to the Jayhawks, with whom he went on to have a breakthrough sophomore season. This time around, reports of his portal entry also suggested that he planned to test the NBA Draft waters; it’s not clear if he’ll still attempt to go the professional route or if he is locked in on Louisville for the 2026-27 season.
The Congolese forward’s departure from KU is essentially unprecedented for a Jayhawk in the (admittedly short) transfer-portal era because it came after such a successful season as a starter for the Jayhawks. Bidunga averaged 13.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game. He was a first-team all-conference selection and the Big 12 defensive player of the year, as well as a finalist for the national defensive player of the year award. The combination of his shot-blocking prowess and ability to switch onto opposing guards helped KU become one of the nation’s top defenses during the 2025-26 season.
Now he’ll take those skills to Louisville, which is coming off a season in which it went 24-11 and 11-7 in the ACC and lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Michigan State. Before Sunday’s news, Bidunga reportedly had plans to visit Duke and had considered Michigan and St. John’s.
Of note, choosing the Cardinals means he will have to return to Allen Fieldhouse. KU and Louisville will play an exhibition game in Lawrence prior to the 2026-27 season, after they staged one at the KFC Yum! Center last fall.
Bidunga is the first of KU’s departing transfers to announce a destination. The Jayhawks have yet to obtain any commitments of their own in the portal.
AP Photo/Chris Seward
