Duke Basketball Recruiting: Insider Flips Prediction for Flory Bidunga

As Flory Bidunga's decision nears, no one seems to question that Duke basketball is the frontrunner.

Until Tuesday, national recruiting insider Rob Cassidy's Rivals FutureCast prediction for Kokomo (Ind.) five-star center and priority Duke basketball target Flory Bidunga favored Cincinnati. That's no longer the case, for Cassidy is now in agreement with others at Rivals (all six picks since June are for Duke), 247Sports (three), and On3 (one).

Yes, it looks as though this race, with the finish line only days or hours away, is the Blue Devils' to lose in the eyes of national and team-specific recruiting insiders alike.

Cassidy's original Cincinnati pick, like several others at the site, was from last fall, roughly eight months before the 6-foot-9, 220-pound Democratic Republic of Congo native visited Duke, received a Blue Devil offer, announced four finalists (Duke, Kansas, Auburn, Michigan), and in doing so, dropped the Bearcats from contention.

And now, Flory Bidunga, No. 1 among big men and No. 4 overall on the 247Sports 2024 Composite, is in the final week of his recruitment, according to his "Decision week..." post on social media earlier in the week.

Some believe he will likely reveal his decision during the Elite 24 Under Armour Next showcase, which he's playing in at 8 p.m. ET Saturday (ESPNU) in Atlanta.

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Whenever the announcement happens this week, it's still no absolute lock the Blue Devils will prevail, as until recently, Kansas was seen as running neck and neck with Duke.

Even so, there's no denying that things look rosy for the Duke basketball staff when it matters most.

So what awaits Jon Scheyer and his crew the season after next if they come out on top for Flory Bidunga this week?

5 ⭐️ Flory Bidunga (4th on ESPN 100) cannot be stopped in the paint 😤😤 #3SSB @FBidunga pic.twitter.com/B1v5GT32CC

— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) July 9, 2023

On Tuesday, On3's Jamie Shaw named him one of the premier rim-protecting centers in the 2024 class and provided the following summary of the long-limbed bruiser's game:

"Everything Flory Bidunga does is explosive. Whether it be his finishes around the basket, his rebounding, or sending a would-be shot into the third row, Bidunga makes his presence felt. He was a force throughout his time on the Adidas 3SSB Circuit with his Indiana Elite team. The Indiana State Gatorade Player of the Year averaged 4.4 blocks and shot 82.2 percent from the field...He followed that up this summer, averaging 3.4 blocks and shooting 63.7 percent from the field."

Bidunga would headline a 2024 Duke basketball recruiting haul currently consisting of two heralded small forwards: North Meck (N.C.) five-star Isaiah Evans and Paul VI Catholic (Va.) four-star Darren Harris.

RELATED: List of Every Recruit Holding a Duke Offer

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for more Duke basketball recruiting news.