Flory Bidunga, the transfer portal’s biggest prize, is already proving why he was the top-rated player in the 2026 cycle for Louisville. Forget the old narrative that you can’t build a championship team with a roster full of transfers, because Michigan just blew that blueprint wide open, and now teams like Louisville are following suit, dropping big bags in free agency to grab talent like Bidunga.
The Transfer Portal Blueprint Michigan Laid Out
For a while, there was this brewing idea you couldn’t actually build a championship-level team just by scooping up transfers. Houston coach Kelvin Sampson even said at the 2024 Big 12 Media Days, “There are no pros in the portal. If they were pros, they wouldn’t be in the portal. They’re all college guys looking to improve.” But Michigan absolutely changed the game, showing what’s possible when you hit a bunch of grand slams in the portal. Head coach Dusty May started four transfers last year on his way to Michigan’s National Championship: Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson, Aday Mara, and Elliot Cadeau. Three of those guys, Lendeborg, Johnson, and Mara, even became lottery picks. Michigan might be an outlier, sure, but that’s not stopping other programs from diving headfirst into college basketball’s NIL arms race, with roster values soaring from $5 million to over $25 million, all hoping for that same April magic.
Bidunga’s Immediate Impact for Louisville
While transfer portal rankings can feel irrelevant now,because let’s be real, some big-name transfers are gonna flop, that’s just how it goes,Louisville’s Flory Bidunga is not one to worry about. He was named Preseason Transfer of the Year, and for good reason. Bidunga is the kind of player who can completely change a game even on nights when his scoring is low, maybe just six points. He’s the guy who’s going to be the “fire-douser” for Louisville all season. We already saw that impactful play in Louisville’s exhibition win at Kansas.
What’s Next For Louisville and Bidunga
Bidunga’s eligibility is rock-solid, unlike some of the impactful transfers from the 5-in-5 senior market like Keyshawn Hall at St. John’s, Jaxon Kohler at BYU, Donovan Dent at LSU, and Darrion Williams at Texas Tech, who are currently playing thanks to temporary restraining orders but face uncertain futures. Bidunga and Louisville are built with real basketball in mind, assembling a team with guards, wings, forwards, and centers, just like it should be. With Bidunga leading the charge, Louisville has a legit shot at proving the transfer portal can indeed build a contender this season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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