The deadline for NBA Draft prospects to make their decision on whether they stay in this year's event is rapidly approaching. 11:59 p.m. ET on May 27 will be the final call for all NBA hopefuls to choose what is best for their future. For some, that may include delaying their arrival in the league.
Flory Bidunga would be a player who could benefit tremendously from staying in school, much to the dismay of the Los Angeles Lakers. Bidunga just switched over to the Louisville Cardinals in the transfer portal. Even so, the 21-year-old has not yanked his name from draft consideration just yet.
Jeff Borzello of ESPN wrote: "Bidunga told ESPN at the combine that he hasn't completely ruled out the idea of staying in the draft but would like to be a projected first-round pick before making his final decision. That doesn't appear likely at this point, meaning a return to college ... [is] the next step."
To Borzello's point, Bidunga has second-round pick written all over him, for the most part. Tankathon, for example, projects him all the way at the 46th overall at present. That would give him very little incentive to commit to the process, without a draft promise in the first round from an NBA team.
Lakers may have to wait until the 2027 NBA Draft for Flory Bidunga
Bidunga's strengths perfectly fit what the Lakers would want out of their five spot. Despite being a touch undersized for the position, the former Kansas Jayhawk is an excellent rim protector, averaging 2.6 blocks per game during this past NCAA season.
Another area in which Bidunga shines is the glass. Last year's Jayhawks big man averaged 9.0 rebounds per game, showcasing consistent energy and effort in pulling down boards. After the rollercoaster that was Deandre Ayton in that department, the Lakers would love that reliability.
Bidunga's offensive game may not be the most polished, but it does shine in the areas Luka Doncic loves. The pair could easily be envisioned hooking up for easy buckets with the big man running to the rim and capitalizing off Luka's playmaking ability.
When you couple that with his upside on the glass and as a defender, Bidunga and Doncic would be a masterful duo, resembling that of his best frontcourt partnerships with the Dallas Mavericks. Unfortunately, the opportunity to pair them up may not come until the 2027 NBA Draft.
I talked to 10 NBA executives and got their takes on what these guys should do:
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) May 22, 2026
Christian Anderson: 10 (go to NBA), 0 (back to college)
Meleek Thomas: 9 (NBA), 1 (college)
Allen Graves: 8 (NBA), 2 (college)
Tounde Yessoufou: 5 (NBA), 5 (college)
Koa Peat: 7 (college), 3 (NBA)…
Bidunga's NIL money would likely outweigh whatever contract he got as a late first-round pick, or second-rounder. Plus, unlike the 2026 class, which is loaded with talent, 2027 offers a much better opportunity for the future Cardinal to secure a higher selection in the process.
The 2027 class is being projected as one of the weaker NBA Drafts in a while. Bidunga would stand out much better relative to his peers in that one.
As such, it should not be surprising to see him remove his name in the coming days. The Lakers should still hope that is not the case, but no one will be truly surprised to see that outcome either.
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