Tounde Yessoufou made a surprising entry into the NCAA transfer portal right before the deadline. Yessoufou, a Beninese basketball star, joined the Baylor Bears program last year. He was a five-star recruit, rated by Rivals and ESPN.
The 19-year-old played just one season with the Bears before deciding to enter the portal. In his freshman season, he averaged 17.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 2 steals per game while shooting over 46% from the field.
Yessoufou had declared for the NBA Draft earlier. He was on track to become an NBA player, and his early draft projections were looking good as well. Yessoufou was slated to be an early second-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
A week after declaring for the draft, Yessoufou decided to enter the transfer portal at the last minute. This seems to be part of his plan to keep all his options open for the next season.
If he secures a good spot at the draft, Yessoufou will likely move in that direction and realize his lifelong dream. If that doesn’t happen, he will have the option to return to college basketball, as he has eligibility remaining.
The decision to leave Baylor is equally shocking. Yessoufou was settling into the program. He was a starter in all 34 games, and head coach Scott Drew seemingly had confidence in him, too. Now that he’s looking for other opportunities, let’s take a look at the top three potential landing spots for him.
Tounde Yessoufou Potential Landing Spots
UCLA Bruins
Yessoufou is still new to the college basketball world, so there’s not a typical homecoming scenario for him right now. However, he played his high school ball at St. Joseph in Santa Maria, California. Joining the UCLA Bruins will keep him closer to home, while he’ll get an opportunity to play for Mick Cronin.
Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky has struggled early this offseason to land top-tier transfers. The program is desperate for a player of Yessoufou’s caliber who can provide balance to their roster next season. The star forward could be a great addition to Mark Pope’s Kentucky squad.
St. John’s Red Storm
Head coach Rick Pitino has had an aggressive approach in the transfer portal window. He has made some major signings, including Donnie Freeman, who joined Red Storm today. Yessoufou could be another great addition.
Pitino’s team made it to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament this year, but he’s expected to deliver a championship next season. Including Yessoufou on the roster would provide depth to the Red Storm and could potentially make them title contenders.
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