A look at the fresh faces coming to Lawrence this year
In my first edition of these articles, I went through our returning starters, the guys we’re very familiar with. This time I’m going in the opposite direction and talking incoming freshmen. This ended up being a very short list, with 4 star point guard Labaron Philon decommitting and landing at Alabama instead. Bill Self has hit the transfer portal very hard this offseason, opting to only add two players from the high school ranks and bringing in established talent to fill out the roster.
Incoming Freshmen
Flory Bidunga – 6’8 center
The word on Bidunga, a 5 star recruit and McDonald’s All-American ranked 14th nationally by 247 Sports, is that he’s likely to be a raw, project player. 247 has gone so far as to call him “the most athletically gifted big man in the national class.” He’s a bit short for the position, standing around 6’8 or 6’9, depending on where you look. Fortunately, he’s got a massive wingspan and great vertical ability, which go a long way in neutralizing the potential issues with his standing height. Expect him to be a rim-running type of center, and very different from Hunter Dickinson, who has a bit more of a finesse game without great athleticism. Bidunga is not a shooter, so he can’t be used to space the floor and for that reason, may end up seeing minutes mostly when KJ Adams is not in the game. Out of the gate, as he develops the finer points of his game, he can be expected to finish lobs with a lot of power, and though he may find himself in foul trouble because of it, he looks to block shots anywhere near the rim. According to scouting reports, he’s such an aggressive shot blocker that it can take him out of position to grab rebounds. I have no doubt Self will immediately work to get that under control, but especially in the early season, Bidunga may frustrate fans at times when he’s not making highlight reel dunks. Bidunga is staying around despite Hunter Dickinson’s decision to return, which would suggest that he understands he’s not going to be playing big minutes as a freshman. If he sticks around though, he may be a very fun player to watch in a year or two.
Rakease Passmore – 6’5 wing
Passmore is ranked 39th nationally per the 247 composite ratings. Passmore is a wing of the modern basketball mold, strong and athletic enough to defend a range of opposing players on the defensive end, and to get to the basket on the offensive end. I shy away from making comps, but it’s hard not to think of Kelly Oubre with Passmore. His shot has improved to where he’ll likely have the green light to take open threes in rhythm, but it’s unlikely to be a major part of his game. Like Oubre, he’s a slasher with the explosiveness and strength to battle his way to the rim. However, given the skill sets on this year’s roster, it’s very unlikely that he’ll be coming into a scoring role as a freshman. He reportedly has very good defensive instincts, and with his quickness he may be an excellent defender out of the gate. A lot of the team’s incoming transfers aren’t necessarily defensive-oriented, so if Passmore really commits to becoming a lockdown defender right away, it’s probably his best path to playing time. Kansas will have plenty of wings this season, so like Bidunga, I see Passmore as a player who will be developing more than producing as a freshman. If his three point shot has improved to where he can hit around 35% on his good looks from three, and his slashing ability carries over to the next level, he may provide quality depth right away, with the ability to be a more featured player in the long term.