Will Bill Self Unleash a Two-Big Lineup With Paul Mbiya and Flory Bidunga?

Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks made a massive splash in the recruiting world over the past few days, landing guard Kohl Rosario and big man Paul Mbiya.

Mbiya, previously committed to NC State, is one of the best defensive prospects entering college basketball.

It might be a good "problem" to have, but Self and Co. will need to figure out how to maximize two elite bigs simultaneously.

Mbiya could come off the bench for 15-20 minutes behind Flory Bidunga, though it's safe to say KU had to sell him on more than that to beat out Oregon.

That raises the question of whether Self will experiment with a twin-tower look and put two tremendous athletes on the floor together.

Mbiya stands at 6-foot-10 with a ridiculous 7-foot-7 wingspan, and Bidunga is 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, so the length is undeniable.

Both big men can cover ground well enough to branch out and guard forwards or even some wings on the perimeter.

Furthermore, Bidunga was one of the best rim protectors in the Big 12 last year, ranking third with 1.6 blocks per game despite playing just 16.3 minutes.

Last season, Self experimented with Hunter Dickinson and Bidunga together. However, Dickinson was a proven scorer who could take offensive pressure off the freshman big.

That dynamic will be different with Mbiya who, like Bidunga as a freshman, is incredibly raw on offense and shot 51.6% at the free throw line in France.

With 5-star guard Darryn Peterson expected to run the show, spacing will matter if both bigs play at the same time. Peterson could thrive with one of them anchoring the paint, but can Kansas score efficiently enough if they’re sharing the floor?

Self will likely test the duo in spurts and lean on Mbiya to spell Bidunga, at least early in the campaign.

If Mbiya’s offense comes along faster than expected, then the Jayhawks could look to play them together more often as the season progresses.

But for now, it looks like Mbiya and Bidunga will operate as a one-two punch. Still, the possibility of seeing them together is what makes this roster so intriguing.