This Kansas Freshman Is the Secret Weapon Bill Self Was Saving for March

Sometimes, the most intelligent coaches in the world do not present all their playing cards till it issues most. That could also be precisely what Bill Self was doing with true freshman Paul Mbiya earlier than tonight. (Yes, the identical Paul Mbiya who had performed 77 minutes in the 2025-26 marketing campaign main into the recreation).

For the first time all season, Mbiya obtained significant minutes throughout some key moments for Kansas in its 68-60 victory over California Baptist in the opening spherical of the NCAA Tournament. The Congolese huge man was amongst the most impactful Jayhawks on the court docket in each the first and second halves.

Paul Mbiya Made the Most of His Minutes on Friday

Mbiya surprisingly joined KU’s first subs of the recreation in the first half and made the most of his enjoying time. He recorded a season-high eight factors – his level whole for the yr heading into the recreation was 14 – and completed with a team-best +15 plus-minus by the finish of the contest.

Although he did not do something spectacular throughout his transient stint with the beginning unit, Mbiya threw down an alley-oop dunk and scored a pair of second-chance factors shortly after he went into the recreation. Unlike a few of his previous appearances earlier this yr, Mbiya did not look rattled by the competitors and performed with a composure followers by no means knew he was able to.

The struggling Bryson Tiller continued to see his minutes dwindle in the present day, however Cal Baptist was crashing the offensive glass to try to win the rebounding battle. Mbiya was the subsequent most suitable option for Self to assist Flory Bidunga out in the paint.

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Why Mbiya Can Be Valuable for Kansas

At 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-7 wingspan, only a few gamers remaining in the match possess the bodily instruments Mbiya has. His arms are so lengthy that every one he has to do to reply a layup correctly is stand straight together with his arms going through up.

Granted, Mbiya is nearly as uncooked a participant as could be. He is vulnerable to fumbling passes from his teammates beneath the rim, and his offensive recreation wants severe refinement. But he wasn’t completely inept with the ball in his arms on this recreation, even pulling off a artful up-and-under put up transfer for a layup in the second half.