Nearing home stretch of Flory Bidunga's recruitment. Takes official visit to Duke next week
BROWNSBURG – Flory Bidunga’s recruitment could be hitting the home stretch.
The 6-9 Kokomo star, who participated in the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Top 100 Underclass Showcase on Saturday afternoon at Brownsburg High School, will take an official to visit to Duke from Tuesday to Thursday.
That visit to Duke will mark the fifth and final of Bidunga’s junior official visits, following Florida, Auburn, Michigan and Kansas. However, a new NCAA rule goes into effect July 1 that will drop restrictions on the total number of official visits. The five-star prospect plans to visit Indiana on an official visit prior to making his decision, which will likely come in the week leading up to the start of school at Kokomo (the first day for students is Aug. 2).
The interest from Duke started just this month.
“I’m interested,” Bidunga said of the Blue Devils. “It’s obviously one of the top schools. This will be my first time to Duke so I’m looking forward to it. The coaching style is really important and meeting the coaches, of course. All of that stuff together.”
Duke assistant Chris Carrawell was in attendance to watch Bidunga at the Top 100 Showcase. Head coaches there were Indiana’s Mike Woodson, Purdue’s Matt Painter, Auburn’s Bruce Pearl, Kansas’ Bill Self and Cincinnati’s Wes Miller. Assistants from Michigan and Michigan State were also in attendance, among others.
Bidunga said there are no plans to reclassify to the 2023 class, something that had been rumored. “I’ll be one more year in Kokomo so if you all can come watch again, that would be fine,” he said with a laugh.
Though he will have taken six official visits by the time he plans to make his decision, those are not necessarily the only schools he is considering. Some of the official visits came to schools that are farther away from home.
Once he makes his decision, Bidunga plans to play soccer for the Kokomo team this fall. He said previously he is a better soccer player than basketball, though that might be hard to believe watching him play Saturday at the Top 100 Showcase.
“He’s a great player,” said Crispus Attucks junior Dezmon Briscoe, who went head-to-head with Bidunga in the fourth of the four games in the early session. “It’s great to talk to him. He’s funny. He makes me work. I think we push each other every time we play. I like playing against him.”
Bidunga is ranked as the No. 4 prospect nationally by 247sports in the 2024 class. He was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in the state as a junior after averaging 20.2 points, 13.8 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots per game and leading Kokomo to the Class 4A state finals.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Kokomo star Flory Bidunga will go to Duke for official visit next week
