Bill Self says Kansas fans crossed line with chants at Flory Bidunga
The Kansas coach said booing a former player was fair, but condemned profanity directed at Bidunga during Louisville’s exhibition win in Lawrence.
Kansas coach Bill Self said profanity-laced chants directed at former Jayhawk Flory Bidunga crossed a line during Louisville’s 89-83 exhibition win at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence on October 21. ESPN reported that the chants began before the game and continued early in the contest; Bidunga said he had expected them and did not pay attention.
According to ESPN, the chants started as Bidunga came onto the court for warmups. A public-address announcement later told the crowd that Kansas athletic director Travis Goff had demanded that students stop. Bidunga, the Big 12 defensive player of the year at Kansas last season, finished with five points and one block for Louisville.
What Self and Bidunga said about the chants
Self drew a distinction between booing a player who had transferred and directing profanity at him. ‘I actually expected Flory to get booed,’ he said, according to ESPN. ‘Anything beyond that is uncalled for.’ Self said Bidunga had given Kansas ‘two really good years’ and called him ‘a terrific kid.’
Bidunga said he understood that the fans were rooting for Kansas. ‘Fans are going to be fans,’ he said, adding that he had focused on Louisville’s task rather than the words from the stands. Louisville freshman Obinna Ekezie Jr. told ESPN that his teammates wanted to win for Bidunga against his former team.
How Louisville won the exhibition
Oregon transfer Jackson Shelstad led Louisville with 23 points. Ekezie added 16 points, eight rebounds and five blocks. Kansas guard Tyran Stokes, the top-ranked recruit in the 2026 class, scored 15 points on 3-for-13 shooting, while fellow recruit Taylen Kinney had four points before leaving with cramps, ESPN reported.
The matchup brought together two preseason top-25 teams. Kansas Athletics had listed the October 21 exhibition at Allen Fieldhouse with a 6 p.m. Central time tip. ESPN reported that former Purdue player Trey Kaufman-Renn, who joined Kansas after winning an injunction for a sixth season, was on the sideline but did not play.
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Sources and context
- Louisville's Flory Bidunga unbothered by Kansas fans' chants in exhibitionESPN
- No. 17 Kansas to Host No. 11 Louisville Wednesday at 6 p.m.Kansas Athletics
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.