Louisville basketball had a crazy offseason, including Pat Kelsey completely rebuilding the roster. The Cardinals lost all five starters and nine of their top 10 players, forcing Kelsey to hit the Transfer Portal hard. And that is exactly what he did.
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Kelsey and Louisville built one of the most expensive rosters in college basketball, adding eight players from the portal, including multiple former 5-stars and even one 5-star transfer. That 5-star transfer is the Kansas transfer, Flory Bidunga.
Bidunga comes to Louisville with very high expectations, and he is already getting the praise and recognition he deserves.
Flory Bidunga is poised for a breakout season with Louisville
This offseason saw some big-time players enter the Transfer Portal, but no one ranked as high as Bidunga. The 5-star center ranked the unanimous No. 1 overall transfer, according to On3 Sports and 247 Sports, and now, with college basketball just around the corner, preseason awards are starting to roll out.
Blue Ribbon Yearbook recently released its four Preseason All-American Teams, and Louisville basketball fans will be pleased that Bidunga earned the recognition he deserved, landing on the Preseason All-American Second Team.
Blue Ribbon Yearbook’s preseason All-American teams are out 👀
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) September 16, 2026
Who’s too high, too low or missing from the list? ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/JrfS7HyWvd
Bidunga transferred to Louisville after a breakout season with Kansas. The elite center averaged 13.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game, earning a spot on the All-Big 12 First Team and winning the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year award. Bidunga’s 2.6 blocks per game ranked No. 5 in the nation, and his 91 total blocks ranked No. 4.
Now he comes to Louisville with high expectations and is already earning All-American recognition. The Cardinals desperately needed someone with an elite paint presence who can play physical, and Bidunga is just that. The 6-foot-9 center is one of the best rim protectors in college basketball and is incredibly athletic, making him one of the best lob threats in the nation.
Bidunga showed his potential in the Bahamas, scoring 18 points and adding 10 rebounds and 6 blocks in the Cardinals' dominant win. Louisville eyes a Final Four run this upcoming season, and many analysts are circling Bidunga as a major X-factor. If he can have an All-American season, average around 18 points per game, and be that elite defender, the sky is the limit for these Cardinals.
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