LAWRENCE — The boos from fans came early and often for Flory Bidunga as he made his return to Allen Fieldhouse Wednesday, Oct 21.
Bidunga had started his college career with Kansas basketball. He’d spent the past two seasons with the Jayhawks, developing into one of the best talents in the Big 12 Conference. But this week, he wasn’t there to play for KU — he was there to play for the Louisville program he’d transferred to following the end of last season.
There was, though, a moment early in the first half of the exhibition between the Jayhawks and Cardinals in which an announcement was made in the building to refrain from any derogatory chants. The announcement followed something that had happened pregame, not long before tip-off, when for a brief moment some fans could be heard chanting, “(Expletive) you, Flory.”
And postgame, after KU suffered an 89-83 loss in what was a thrilling finish on the court, Kansas coach Bill Self shared his perspective on the reaction Bidunga received from fans.
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“I actually expected Flory to get booed; anything beyond that is uncalled for,” Self said. “But I expected him to get booed, and you know what? That’s what — when you transfer or I take another job or something and you go back to that place, that’s what happens. That’s the way it should be. That’s what creates interest. Flory knows that.
"But anything beyond that I don’t agree with at all, especially when — he gave us two really good years and he was a terrific kid. … I think it’s fine that people react a certain way. If he wasn’t any good, nobody would care. People care. So, that’s part of it. But anything more than that, no I didn’t — I wouldn’t appreciate.”
Louisville coach Pat Kelsey was asked postgame about the reception Bidunga received. If Kelsey had any issues with the fans over the course of the evening, he didn’t share it. Instead, like when Self mentioned the booing, Kelsey talked about the reception being part of college basketball. What makes Allen Fieldhouse great, Kelsey continued, in part is the passion of the student body on game days.
Kelsey thought Bidunga, a junior forward for the Cardinals, handled everything well and knew what he would be walking into. Although Kelsey did note that he thinks Bidunga is relieved to have the experience of having to come back and play against KU over, Kelsey thought Bidunga handled it like a pro because he is one.
By game’s end, while dealing with foul trouble, Bidunga finished with five points, three rebounds, one block and one steal.
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@usatodayco.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: KU's Bill Self on Flory Bidunga’s reception by Kansas basketball fans