FloryBidunga

Flory Bidunga’s rise to stardom on the high school basketball scene came quickly. Bidunga arrived at Kokomo (Indiana) High School from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2021, and the 6-foot-9 prospect with a high ceiling quickly outgrew every expectation and then some. Bidunga, who began playing basketball in 2019, initially dominated in front of college coaches at the NBPA Top-100 Camp in June 2022. He then became a national sensation at the Adidas 3SSB Open, where Bidunga overpowered the competition and led his Indiana Elite squad to the U16 championship. “He’s not as polished as some of the other guys, but he’s got a great body, great hands, great feel for the game, and gives great effort,” Frank Burlison, a veteran recruiting scout, told The Athletic. “And he’s only going to get bigger and stronger the next few years.” During the summer before his junior season, he averaged 18.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game on 76.4% shooting for Indiana Elite. Kokomo coach John Peckinpaugh said, “the scary thing is he’s probably a better kid than he is a basketball player. “It’s nice to see someone like him see the hard work pay off,” his coach said.