"React" Kendo DropdownList changing value doesn't set it as selected

Question

I have a react kendo dropdownlist as

                                <DropDownList
                                id="someCategoryType-dropdown"
                                name="someCategoryTypeDD"
                                value={someDetailsOutput.someCategoryType ?? props.someCategoryType}
                                onChange={handleChange}
                                data={componentState.someCategoryTypeList}
                                textField="text"
                                dataItemKey="id"
                                defaultItem={Constants.DefaultItem}
                            />

I have a search button which when clicked, calls the API and returns the data (working correctly) and someDetailsOutput.someCategoryType is properly calculated. I know because I also show it on UI. Now as per React Kendo documentation, changing the value should show that item as selected value but it doesn't. I have verified that the exact same string (same casing) is in both someDetailsOutput.someCategoryType as well as one of the items in the dropdownlist. Anyone know why this isn't working?