Kansas forward Flory Bidunga (40) delivers a dunk against Green Bay during the first half on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025 at Allen Fieldhouse. Photo by Nick Krug

Kansas forward Flory Bidunga attributed his career-best scoring performance on Monday against Green Bay to the time he spent watching film after he struggled in last week’s exhibition against Fort Hays State.

His teammate, fifth-year senior guard Melvin Council Jr., had a much simpler explanation: “I think it was his braids. He got a new hairstyle.”

Whatever the case, the incarnation of Bidunga that graced the James Naismith Court was unlike any that had appeared there during the 2024-25 season, and most certainly an improvement over the same player who had gone 3-for-9 from the field and 0-for-5 from the free-throw line just six days earlier.

This time, the Congolese sophomore opened an efficient 9-for-9 before missing a couple quick shots with the outcome already decided and was a vastly more effective 5-for-6 at the charity stripe. He showed a significantly more developed post repertoire, attacked off the dribble and menaced the Phoenix’s shooters (he led KU with six rebounds and three blocks). In short, he was much the kind of player KU needs in its arsenal to complement guard Darryn Peterson this season.

“Since Fort Hays State, we’ve made an emphasis of how our big guys don’t play big like they need to,” KU coach Bill Self said. “He got the ball in tight and made some shots without bouncing it and played to his length. Yeah, he was a lot better today, a lot better and he made his free throws.”

As for the hard drives to the hoop, Self said he’s in favor of “anything that’s aggressive, putting pressure on the defense.” That certainly described Bidunga’s approach against what was a generally undersized Green Bay frontcourt.

“For the most part, he needs to play downhill,” Self said. “He needs to get fouled. He needs to want to get fouled. We’ll be so much better when he’s like that and he was like that tonight.”

Green Bay coach Doug Gottlieb might have a broader perspective than the average Horizon League head man on the landscape of college basketball given his other job as a national Fox Sports radio commentator. After he bore witness to Bidunga up close and personal on Monday, he too said he felt the forward had improved greatly, emphasizing a defensive attribute.

“His ability to contain a basketball for a man who’s a tremendous shot blocker — it’s obviously going to pay dividends for their team and for him personally in the future,” Gottlieb said.

Gottlieb cited an “Oreo” play the Phoenix ran that actually successfully got players open on the weak side of KU’s defense, but forward Marcus Hall simply wasn’t able to see them because of Bidunga’s obstruction. As Gottlieb noted, the mere threat of his length and shot-blocking ability destabilized Green Bay’s plans.

The Fort Hays State game clearly didn’t showcase Bidunga’s skills. The head coach said at the time that Bidunga “got out of character and tried to score ways that he doesn’t score.”

On Monday he was very much in character, or at least emulating the sort of character his coaches want him to display this year, after watching plenty of film with associate head coach Jeremy Case.

“You know, he really be helping me just trying to get better, and then don’t make the same mistake,” Bidunga said.

His teammates knew he had it in him.

“I’m happy for him,” Council said. “I texted him after the first game, Fort Hays. I text him, I said, ‘I love you,’ right? He texted me back, say he love me, and I told him, ‘Next game. We know what you can do. You don’t got to prove nothing to nobody. Just play your game.’ And that’s what he did tonight.”

photo by: AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Kansas forward Flory Bidunga (40) drives during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Green Bay, Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Lawrence.

photo by: AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Kansas head coach Bill Self talks to forward Flory Bidunga (40) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Green Bay, Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Lawrence.

photo by: AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Kansas forward Flory Bidunga celebrates after making a basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Green Bay, Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Lawrence.