LAWRENCE — Kansas basketball added some valuable depth to its frontcourt when it announced the signing of Paul Mbiya in June.
Mbiya, set to be a freshman center for the Jayhawks, is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He’s listed at 6-foot-11 and 260 pounds. He is a product of NBA Academy Africa and has played overseas in France.
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But what does KU coach Bill Self remember about Mbiya’s recruitment? How interested was Kansas before Mbiya signed with NC State, and what happened after Mbiya reconsidered his options and eventually joined the Jayhawks? Here’s what Self had to say:
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“That’s the thing about it is, with recruiting, what’d we do? Make a call? Talk to an agent? … In my opinion, we didn’t start recruiting Paul until after the de-commit from NC State,” Self said in July.
“But, did we check into it? Yeah, probably. But there was — I didn’t talk to Paul until well after he de-committed from NC State. So, I — I’m really glad that we didn’t pull the trigger before then and waited for him to become available.”
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Self added: “Guys, his wingspan is 7-7, his standing reach is 9-6.5, I mean that’s a big dude. Now, granted, can he play athletically over here in this game and all of that stuff? But I — we’ve been really pleased and impressed with him so far.”
Mbiya’s arrival is certainly something that can help take the pressure off of Flory Bidunga this season. Bidunga, a sophomore forward, was going to have a lot more of a burden on his shoulders without Mbiya becoming a part of the team.
There’s freshman forward Bryson Tiller, of course, someone who enrolled early at KU during last season and redshirted, but Tiller is coming off an injury and might need time to acclimate to an on-court role as the 2025-26 regular season unfolds.
That upcoming season opens with a Nov. 3 home game against Green Bay. Before that, there are a pair of exhibition games in late October — one at Louisville and one at home against Fort Hays State. Mbiya’s first significant test, during the regular season, comes soon after those matchups as there is a Nov. 7 road game at North Carolina.
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The weeks ahead of those games, and the rest, will allow Mbiya more time to build chemistry with his teammates – including Bidunga. The anticipation is that Kansas will be led by freshman guard Darryn Peterson, a potential No. 1 pick in next year’s NBA draft. There are also veterans who have arrived through the transfer portal, like senior guard Jayden Dawson (Loyola-Chicago), who are set to be a part of the rotation.
Feb. 3, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas; Kansas basketball coach Bill Self reacts during a game against Iowa State at Allen Fieldhouse.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas basketball coach Bill Self recalls Paul Mbiya’s recruitment
