Duke basketball recruiting target Flory Bidunga stunned the country with his commitment.
In the world of college basketball, recruiting can be a rollercoaster ride of unexpected twists and turns and Flory Bidunga‘s, a major Duke basketball target, surprising commitment to Kansas lit the internet on fire.
The Blue Devils were initially seen as the frontrunner in this recruitment since the moment they began pursuing him.
However, a few days prior to his scheduled announcement, Auburn emerged as the clear favorite and everyone, including the recruiting experts, expected Bidunga to be a Tiger.
As fate would have it, the 5-star center in the Class of 2024 announced on ESPNU that he would be joining Bill Self and the Jayhawks next season and capped off a wild recruitment process.
Flory Bidunga officially picking Kansas🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/P4WmVgflBH
— Braiden Turner (@bturner23) August 13, 2023
After missing out on the 6-foot-9 center, Duke is actively regrouping and making efforts to secure the services of Patrick Ngongba II.
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What’s promising is that Duke has extended an offer to him, he has visited the campus, and both Jon Scheyer and the coaching staff have actively been recruiting him.
The Blue Devils are also in the Top-8 finalists for Ngongba II, the No. 28 player in the Class of 2024.
Duke basketball coaching staff has inside help in recruitment
Another ace up the sleeve of the Duke coaching staff is Darren Harris, who is a high school teammate of Ngongba at Paul VI (Va.).
Harris has already committed to Duke and has expressed his active efforts in recruiting Ngongba to join him in Durham.
Ngongba, known for his versatility, has been a priority for Duke and his ability to score both inside and outside the paint is exactly the kind of player that Jon Scheyer is looking for.
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While he may not possess the shot blocking prowess of Flory Bidunga, he is still a good positional defender with size and strength.
It is believed that Patrick Ngongba is leaning towards Kansas State, however, as we’ve recently witnessed with Bidunga, anything can happen.
Duke has shifted its focus and is now fully dedicated to the potential inclusion of Patrick Ngongba II, aiming to bolster their lineup by incorporating a mix of returning players and fresh talents from the 2024 class.