LAWRENCE, Kan. – Center Paul Mbiya has signed a financial aid agreement to play basketball at Kansas, KU head coach
Bill Self announced today. Mbiya is from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo will be a freshman for the 2025-26 season.
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Mbiya is 6-foot-11, 260 pounds, and has a 7-foot-8 wingspan. He played this past season in the ASVEL team system in the top-tier level French Pro A League. Mbiya averaged 15.3 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocked shots per game in 2024-25. In 2023-24, Mbiya averaged 15.5 points, 11.6 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game for the ASVEL U21 team. He also appeared in 10 games in 2023-24 for the top ASVEL team. Prior to playing for ASVEL, Mbiya was part of the NBA Academy Africa and was a 2022 Basketball Without Borders All-Star selection.
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"We've had a good last couple of days recruiting with Kohl (Rosario) signing yesterday and Paul today," Self said. "Paul is big. He's a legit 6-11 with a wingspan of 7-foot, 8 inches. He fits very well with the way we play. He is an immediate impact guy, and he gives us much needed size to go along with Flory (Bidunga) and Bryson (Tiller)."
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Mbiya becomes the sixth incoming freshman signee for Kansas, joining Darryn Peterson, Samis Calderon, Bryson Tiller, Kohl Rosario, and Corbin Allen. Tiller joined the KU team as a redshirt in January. Kansas' spring transfer portal signees include Melvin Council Jr. (St. Bonaventure), Jayden Dawson (Loyola Chicago), and Tre White (Illinois).
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