Future KU basketball big man named to West roster of McDonald’s All-America Game

Future Kansas men’s basketball big man Flory Bidunga has been named one of 24 high school players to play in the 2024 McDonald’s All-America Game April 2 in Houston, game organizers announced on Tuesday.

Bidunga, a 6-foot-9 senior center from Kokomo (Indiana) High School, is ranked No. 9 in the recruiting class of 2024 by ESPN.com, No. 6 by Rivals.com and No. 10 by 247Sports.com.

Bidunga is averaging 17.9 points, 12.9 rebounds and 4.3 blocked shots per game for the 14-3 Kats, who are first in Indiana’s North Central Conference with a 6-0 league record.

On Jan. 20, Bidunga recorded his 63rd career double-double and 13th this season. He had 24 points and 16 rebounds in a win against Tipton. It was his fifth consecutive double-double.

He’s KU’s 51st McDonald’s All-American. Current Jayhawk guard Elmarko Jackson was named a McDonald’s All-American last season.

“I talked to Flory earlier,” KU coach Bill Self said Tuesday on his Hawk Talk radio show. “I mean it’s not a shock that he made the McDonald’s game. Usually guys that are ranked in the top 5 make the McDonald’s game. He’s a 6-9 athlete, can set and get out of a ball screen as quick as anybody. He’s athletic like a ‘Shady’ (Darrell Arthur) type athlete, real quick, explosive, not as good offensively as maybe what ‘Shady’ was as a high school senior. He’s got potential to get there.

“He’s going to be a load for other people to guard. He could be a terrific defender, too. He’s probably about as quick as any big guy I can remember us having, but not the most physical, He’s still thin and certainly can put on some strength. We obviously are very excited about him.”

Bidunga was the 2022-23 Gatorade Player of the Year in Indiana after averaging 20.2 points, 13.8 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots per game as a junior. He has recorded more than 1,100 points, 800 rebounds and 300 blocked shots in his high school career at Kokomo.

On Jan. 18, Bidunga was one of 50 players named to the Naismith boys high school player of the year midseason team.

McDonald’s Game (April 2 in Houston)

East roster

Jalil Bethea, 6-4, G, Miami, Fla.; John Bol, 7-1, C, Mississippi; Isaiah Evans, 6-7, F, Duke; Cooper Flagg, 6-9, F, Duke; Johnuel Fland, 6-2, G, Kentucky; Ian Jackson, 6-4, F, North Carolina; Liam McNeeley, 6-7, F, Indiana; Tahaad Pettiford, 5-10, G, Auburn; Drake Powell, 6-5, G, North Carolina; Jayden Quaintance, 6-9, F, Kentucky; Derik Queen, 6-9, C, uncommitted; Bryson Tucker, 6-7, F, uncommitted

West Roster

Airious Bailey, 6-8, F, Rutgers; Flory Bidunga, 6-9, C, Kansas; Carter Bryant, 6-8, F, Arizona; Vazoumana Diallo, 6-3, G, Washington; Valdez Edgecombe, 6-4, G, Baylor; Donavan Freeman, 6-7, F, Syracuse; Dylan Harper, 6-5, G, Rutgers; Richard Johnson, 6-6, G, Texas; Karter Knox, 6-6, G, uncommitted; Trent Perry, 6-4, G, USC; Derrion Reid, 6-7, F, Alabama; Aiden Sherrill, 6-11, C, Alabama.

KU’s McDonald’s All Americans

Darnell Valentine (1977), Greg Dreiling (1981), Danny Manning (1984), Rick Calloway (1985), Tony Guy (1985), Mark Randall (1986), Mike Maddox (1987), Darrin Hancock (1990), Ben Davis (1991), Calvin Rayford (1991), Jacque Vaughn (1993), Raef LaFrentz (1994), Paul Pierce (1995), Ryan Robertson (1995), Lester Earl (1996), Eric Chenowith (1997), Kenny Gregory (1997), Jeff Boschee (1998), Nick Collison (1999), Aaron Miles (2001), Wayne Simien (2001), J.R. Giddens (2003), David Padgett (2003), Mario Chalmers (2005), Micah Downs (2005), Julian Wright (2005), Darrell Arthur (2006), Sherron Collins (2006), Cole Aldrich (2007), Xavier Henry (2009), Josh Selby (2010), Perry Ellis (2012), Wayne Selden, Jr. (2013), Andrew Wiggins (2013), Cliff Alexander (2014), Kelly Oubre Jr. (2014), Carlton Bragg Jr. (2015), Cheick Diallo (2015), Malik Newman (2015), Udoka Azubuike (2016), Josh Jackson (2016), Billy Preston (2017), Devon Dotson (2018), Quentin Grimes (2018), David McCormack (2018), Bryce Thompson (2020), Gradey Dick (2022), Ernest Udeh Jr. (2022), M.J. Rice (2022), Elmarko Jackson (2023), Flory Bidunga (2024)