At Big 12 tourney, KU Jayhawks’ Council, Bidunga discuss traction on the LED court
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- KU practiced 30 minutes on the ASB GlassFloor at T-Mobile Center.
- Players and coach said the glass floor felt different and affected traction.
- Council said he'd consider returning; Bidunga could enter the NBA Draft pool.
Melvin Council Jr. has played basketball on all kinds of surfaces — indoor and outdoor — during his days as a standout high school and college athlete.
The Big 12 Conference is using a state-of-the-art ASB GlassFloor, with embedded LED video technology, for this week’s league tournament at T-Mobile Center. Council, a 23-year-old native of Rochester, New York, said the floor reminds him of one place in particular.
“Back then there was a tournament called the Gus Macker 3-on-3, where you put a court outside and you play outside. That’s how it felt,” said Council, who practiced at T-Mobile Center with his KU teammates for 30 minutes on Monday.
Council, Jayhawks teammate Flory Bidunga and KU head coach Bill Self spoke at a pre-tourney news conference Tuesday afternoon at Allen Fieldhouse.
“And it felt like Rucker Park in New York City,” Council added of the outdoor court in Manhattan. “We’ve got to get used to it because that’s the court we’ll be playing on.”
The Jayhawks (22-9) will play either TCU, Colorado or Oklahoma State in the tourney quarterfinals at 8:30 p.m. Thursday at T-Mobile Center.
“It wasn’t usual,” KU sophomore forward Bidunga said of the court.
Not everyone agrees — the court received mixed reviews from players at last week’s Big 12 women’s tourney at T-Mobile Center. The floor consists of panels of laminated safety glass with a specially treated surface for traction.
“I don’t think I have ever played on glass before,” Bidunga said, “but like Melvin said, we need to get used to it because that’s where we’ll be playing moving forward.”
Self said Tuesday that, “The floor was fine, but it did seem a little different to us from a traction standpoint as what is a maybe the majority of the courts in our league.”
Asked if the Jayhawks would have a plan in place for better traction, Self said: “No … I mean what if football players wear a longer cleat or something like that? We can’t do that, but we can put some slip-not on the bottom of our shoes every time out, or whatever if it is even an issue. I think a lot of that’s in your head, too.”
As he has at other times this season, Council on Tuesday was asked about the possibility of returning to KU for a second season. Various pending court cases, filed by former junior college players who have asked for another year of eligibility, could also affect Council’s future.
Council, who on Monday was named honorable mention all-Big 12 and made the Big 12’s all-newcomer team, attended Monroe College for two seasons and Wagner College for one, in addition to playing one each at St. Bonaventure and KU.
Out of eligibility once the season concludes, Council said he would soon contact his agents to “see what’s the update” regarding a possible return. For his part, he said he’d love to come back to KU.
Self has said it’s a longshot that Council would be allowed to play a second season at KU.
“Most definitely,” Council said when asked if he’d like to return. “I love this place. Like if we weren’t to go as far that we think we should (in postseason), and I think we could do it next year, why not come back and do it?”
Bidunga, who on Monday was honored as first-team all-Big 12 and is the league’s defensive player of the year, could possibly enter the NBA Draft pool after this, his sophomore season.
“There are things out there that I have heard, based on some reports that this could be his last game here, or whatever. Yeah, it could be. He could go pro,” Self said.
Of possible rumors popping up on social media regarding the future plans of many college players, Self said: “I also think this folks: Everybody has an agent, and everybody’s agent is, if not shopping, is putting feelers out there about whatever, and that could be done by an agent just to kind of get a better deal at the school that you’re at.
“So there’s way too much to read into a lot of this stuff. Not saying it can’t be true, but the reality of it is, a lot of stuff takes place without players actually knowing about it.”
Self said postseason awards have nothing to do with a player possibly being a pro prospect.
“You want your guys to win that stuff, because it’s individual recognition, and certainly (rewards) their efforts. But trust me, there’s not one NBA team that’s looking at, ‘Oh wow, we should maybe go on him or look at him differently because he was this or that within his league,’’’ Self said.
“I don’t think it works like that. I think those guys (NBA scouts and front office personnel) are pretty skilled at identifying and knowing what they’re looking for and I think what other people think about them — media, coaches, postseason awards, I don’t think has much or anything to do with how high a guy could get drafted, but I’m certainly fired up that that Flory received what I thought should be his, because to me, he’s the most versatile and best defender in our league. And there’s some other good ones too.”
This story was originally published March 10, 2026 at 4:13 PM.
