The Michigan Wolverines finished the 2022 recruiting cycle with a top ten class, led by power forward Tarris Reed, point guard Dug McDaniel, and others.
While they still haven’t landed a single recruit for 2023, Michigan is in on several top prospects for the 2023 and 2024 classes, including a talented center from Kokomo, Indiana who has the makings of becoming the next great big man for the Michigan program.
Flory Bidunga, a five-star center who hails from Kokomo, Indiana by way of The Democratic Republic of the Congo, visited the Michigan campus last weekend and met with Head Men’s Basketball Coach Juwan Howard.
Ranked by some as the number one center in the class of 2024, Bidunga still has plenty of time to grow and develop in high school before choosing where to play at the next level — but it appears as if the Wolverines are already one of his favorite destinations, based on a post on his Twitter account.
It was an amazing day I spent at the University of Michigan! Great to meet all the coaches and see the incredible campus. Thank you @umichbball , @JuwanHoward and @PhilMartelli #notcommitted #GoBlue 〽️〽️ pic.twitter.com/GAPUNaGamL
— Flory Bidunga (@FBidunga) September 25, 2022
Bidunga is 6’9, 215 pounds, and ranks number four overall for the class of 2024 according to 247Sports.com.
He also visited the program that defeated John Beilein’s Wolverines for the NCAA title back in 2013, the Louisville Cardinals, according to his first tweet in the month of October.
Excited and blessed to receive an offer from @LouisvilleMBB !! Thank you to @coachkennypayne and his staff for this opportunity #GoCards pic.twitter.com/qkw8MRmZfK
— Flory Bidunga (@FBidunga) October 1, 2022
Bidunga has offers from the defending champion Kansas Jayhawks, Florida Gators, Auburn Tigers, Butler Bulldogs and numerous other programs according to 247Sports.com, although Michigan is not listed in that department.
Thank you @coachtoddgolden, @carlinhartmanUF and @coachkevinhovde for making the trip to see me today! I am blessed to receive an offer from @GatorsMBK!! ? ? #GoGators pic.twitter.com/DEQOwd7HMG
— Flory Bidunga (@FBidunga) September 22, 2022
He also visited Purdue earlier in the month.
Thanks to @boilerball for hosting me on a great unofficial visit! #boilerup #notcommitted ? pic.twitter.com/xmQKEAjsGa
— Flory Bidunga (@FBidunga) September 19, 2022
Bidunga has only played organized basketball for a little over a year according to BallisLifeMidwest, a YouTube channel with over 300,000 subscribers.
The channel posted the following highlight video during which Bidunga shows off incredible size, strength and athleticism around the basket, as well as the ability to get out on the fast break.
With his strength and aggressiveness, Bidunga has the makings of an effective old school/new school center hybrid at the next level — and it appears as though he’s still scratching the surface of what he’s capable of, as a kid who could become the next great big man at Michigan after Hunter Dickinson inevitably departs for the pro circuit:
