Self says KU fans crossed line aiming profanity at ex-Jayhawks star Bidunga
Louisville star Flory Bidunga shrugged off profanity-laced chants from the Kansas student section in his return to Allen Fieldhouse, while Jayhawks coach Bill Self said the vitriol crossed a line.
Flory Bidunga had a hunch about what was coming when he walked back into Allen Fieldhouse. The Louisville star, last season's Big 12 defensive player of the year at Kansas, returned to Lawrence on Wednesday night for an exhibition game against his old school — and the Jayhawks' student section greeted him with profanity-laced chants that began during pregame warmups.
The chants of 'F--- you, Flory' rained down throughout the night, but Bidunga shrugged them off. 'They're rooting for Kansas. I understand. Fans are going to be fans,' he said.
Kansas coach Bill Self, however, thought the vitriol went too far. 'I actually expected Flory to get booed,' Self said. 'Anything beyond that is uncalled for.' He framed the reaction as a backhanded compliment to Bidunga's talent: 'I think it's fine that people react a certain way. If he wasn't any good, nobody would care.'
Bidunga's new Louisville teammates embraced the villain role. Freshman Obinna Ekezie Jr., who posted 16 points, eight rebounds and five blocks, said the team treated the game as personal business. 'We were coming here to beat them. We had to because of Flory,' Ekezie said. 'That was our deal.' Jackson Shelstad led the Cardinals with 23 points.
The night also offered a glimpse of Kansas' star-studded freshman class. Tyran Stokes, the nation's top 2026 recruit, finished with 15 points on 3-for-13 shooting, while five-star guard Taylen Kinney added four points before exiting with cramps. Former Purdue standout Trey Kaufman-Renn, who joined the Jayhawks this week after winning an injunction for a sixth college season, watched from the sideline.
Source: ESPN — Top Headlines — TrendWire reports stories in its own words; facts should be confirmed against the original source.