(4-23-24) Tonight Kokomo’s Flory Bidunga was named the 2024 IndyStar Mr. Basketball during the High School Sports Awards show held at Butler University’s Clowes Hall.
Bidunga is the third Mr. Basketball winner from Kokomo. The other two to win the honor Tom Schwartz (1945) and Jimmy Rayl (1959).
Bidunga received 198 votes to outdistance runner-up Jack Benter of Brownstown Central, who had 122 votes.
Rounding out the Mr. Basketball voting were Keenan Garner of Fishers (15 votes), Ben Davis’ K.J. Windham (12 votes), Brebeuf Jesuit’s Evan Haywood (five votes) and Franklin’s Micah Davis (three votes).
Mr. Basketball is voted on by high school coaches and statewide media and goes to the state’s top senior.
Bidunga has committed to Kansas…is the second Mr. Basketball and sixth boys’ All-Star to join the Jayhawks.
In a three-year high school career, the Democratic Republic of the Congo native totaled 1,609 points, 1,132 rebounds and 402 blocks as the Wildkats went 69-17 and captured three sectionals, two regionals, one semi-state and finished as the 2023 Class 4A state runner-up. He also shot a state-record 80.3 percent from the field (689 of 858) and 55.0 percent on free throws (230 of 418) while adding 158 assists, 85 steals and 322 dunks in his career.
A 2024 McDonald’s All-American and 2024 Nike Hoop Summit participant, Bidunga averaged 17.5 points, 13.3 rebounds and 5.3 blocks as a sophomore as well as 20.2 points, 13.8 rebounds and 4.5 blocks as a junior. As a junior, from Dec. 29, 2022, to Jan. 7, 2023, he tied a state record with 32 consecutive field goals. He also is No. 2 in state annals with his 402 career blocks.
In 85 career games, Bidunga posted 72 double-doubles and six triple-doubles — 32 points, 20 rebounds and 11 blocks against Richmond and 30 points, 14 rebounds and 10 blocks against Lafayette Jefferson as a sophomore; 22 points, 10 rebounds, 12 blocks against Lebanon and 25 points, 15 rebounds and 11 blocks against Marion as a junior; and 19 points, 12 rebounds and 10 blocks against New Haven and 17 points, 24 rebounds and 10 blocks against Anderson as a senior.
His career single-game bests are 34 points against McCutcheon as a junior, 24 rebounds against Fort Wayne Northrop as a sophomore and Anderson as a senior, six assists against Westfield and Fishers as a senior, four steals against Carmel as a junior and 12 blocks against Lebanon as a junior.
While in high school, Bidunga has been a two-time Gatorade Indiana Player of the Year and a two-time MaxPreps Indiana Player of the Year. He also has been a 2023 Naismith third-team All-American, a three-time IBCA Supreme 15 honoree, a 2023 AP first-team All-State selection, a 2022 AP second-team All-State pick, a three-time team MVP, a three-time all-NCC pick and a three-time area MVP and All-Area honoree by the Kokomo Tribune.
Mr. Basketball traditionally wears the No. 1 jerseys for the respective Indiana All-Stars in the annual series with Kentucky. The All-Stars will face the Indiana Junior All-Stars in an exhibition doubleheader on June 5th at Kokomo. The All-Stars will follow with their home-and-home doubleheaders with Kentucky — June 7th at Lexington Catholic High School and June 8th at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Past Indiana Mr. Basketball
1939: George Crowe, Franklin
1940: Ed Schienbein, Southport
1941: John Bass, Greenwood
1942: Bud Brown, Muncie Burris
1943: not awarded (World War II)
1944: not awarded (World War II)
1945: Tom Schwartz, Kokomo
1946: Johnny Wilson, Anderson
1947: Bill Garrett, Shelbyville
1948: Bob Masters, Lafayette Jeff
1949: Dee Monroe, Madison
1950: Pat Klein, Marion
1951: Tom Harrold, Muncie Central
1952: Joe Sexson, Indianapolis Tech
1953: Hallie Bryant, Indianapolis Attucks
1954: Bobby Plump, Milan
1955: Wilson Eison, Gary Roosevelt
1956: Oscar Robertson, Indianapolis Attucks
1957: John Coalmon, South Bend Central
1958: Mike McCoy, Fort Wayne South
1959: Jimmy Rayl, Kokomo
1960: Ron Bonham, Muncie Central
1961: Tom VanArsdale, Indianapolis Manual, and Dick VanArsdale, Indianpolis Manual
1962: Larry Humes, Madison
1963: Rick Jones, Muncie Central
1964: Dennis Brady, Lafayette Jeff
1965: Bill Keller, Indianapolis Washington
1966: Rick Mount, Lebanon
1967: Willie Long, Fort Wayne South
1968: Billy Shepherd, Carmel
1969: George McGinnis, Indianapolis Washington
1970: Dave Shepherd, Carmel
1971: Mike Flynn, Jeffersonville
1972: Phil Cox, Connersville
1973: Kent Benson, New Castle
1974: Steve Collier, Southwestern (Hanover), and Roy Taylor, Anderson
1975: Kyle Macy, Peru
1976: Dave Colescott, Marion
1977: Ray Tolbert, Anderson Madison Heights
1978: David Magley, South Bend LaSalle
1979: Steve Bouchie, Washington
1980: Jim Master, Harding (Fort Wayne)
1981: Dan Palombizio, Michigan City Rogers
1982: Roger Harden, Valparaiso
1983: Steve Alford, New Castle
1984: Delray Brooks, Michigan City Rogers, and Troy Lewis, Anderson,
1985: Jeff Grose, Warsaw
1986: Mark Jewell, Lafayette Jeff
1987: Jay Edwards, Marion, and Lyndon Jones, Marion
1988: Woody Austin, Richmond
1989: Pat Graham, Floyd Central
1990: Damon Bailey, Bedford North Lawrence
1991: Glenn Robinson, Gary Roosevelt
1992: Charles Macon, Michigan City Elston
1993: Maurice “Kojak” Fuller, Anderson
1994: Bryce Drew, Valparaiso
1995: Damon Frierson, Ben Davis
1996: Kevin Ault, Warsaw
1997: Luke Recker, DeKalb
1998: Tom Coverdale, Noblesville
1999: Jason Gardner, North Central
2000: Jared Jeffries, Bloomington North
2001: Chris Thomas, Pike
2002: Sean May, Bloomington North
2003: Justin Cage, Pike
2004: A.J. Ratliff, North Central
2005: Luke Zeller, Washington
2006: Greg Oden, Lawrence North
2007: Eric Gordon, North Central
2008: Tyler Zeller, Washington
2009: Jordan Hulls, Bloomington South
2010: DeShaun Thomas, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers
2011: Cody Zeller, Washington
2012: Gary Harris, Hamilton Southeastern
2013: Zak Irvin, Hamilton Southeastern
2014: Trey Lyles, Indianapolis Tech
2015: Caleb Swanigan, Homestead
2016: Kyle Guy, Lawrence Central
2017: Kris Wilkes, North Central
2018: Romeo Langford, New Albany
2019: Trayce Jackson-Davis, Center Grove
2020: Anthony Leal, Bloomington South
2021: Caleb Furst, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian
2022: Braden Smith, Westfield
2023: Markus Burton, Penn
2024: Flory Bidunga, Kokomo
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