Major Update Revealed in Duke's Pursuit of Flory Bidunga

Depth down low is lacking for head coach Jon Scheyer at the moment, as Maliq Brown has now exhausted all of his collegiate eligibility, and sophomore Patrick Ngognba has not released a decision on whether he is returning to Durham or declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft.

In turn, that has affected how aggressively Duke has been able to be in the pursuit of Bidunga.

Bidunga Interested in Duke

It was reported after the 6'10", 235-pound big man entered the portal that schools in contention for his services included Duke, St. John's, Michigan, and Louisville. It was later revealed that Bidunga had scheduled a visit to Louisville for this weekend.

Now, it has been determined that Bidunga will also visit Duke over the coming weekend. The visit is expected to be on Sunday, which is massive news in the Blue Devils' pursuit of the portal's top talent.

Bidunga just wrapped up his sophomore campaign with the Jayhawks, averaging 13.3 points, 0.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and a Big 12-leading 2.6 blocks a night on 64.0% shooting from the floor. The Congo native earned the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year award and All-Big 12 First Team honors.

Bidunga might be the best rim protector in all of college basketball, and his switchability and advanced footwork at his size make him a perfect fit for the Blue Devils. Scheyer and Co. pride themselves and their rotations around defensive length and versatility, and that's exactly what Bidunga brings to the table, along with a stellar offensive game inside.

Duke Leashed With Ngongba's Lack of Update

Duke can still pursue Bidunga if Ngongba elects to return, but the lack of an update on his future plans is likely keeping Scheyer and his staff from pursuing the former Jayhawk aggressively.

Obviously, the Blue Devils will have to cough up a big paycheck to bring Bidunga in. If Ngongba elects to come back as well, that could cause issues.