Five-star junior forward Tounde Yessoufou committed to Baylor on Wednesday, giving coach Scott Drew his fifth consecutive recruiting class with a five-star prospect. Yessoufou, 18, chose the Bears over Arizona State and USC after visiting Baylor’s campus in August.
Five-star recruit Tounde Yessoufou immigrated to the United States from Benin, Africa, at the age of 15.
“Honestly, it felt like home,” Yessoufou told ESPN. “It’s a small, close-knit community where everyone genuinely cares about each other. I can focus on myself and my goals without distractions, and their strong faith in God really stood out to me.
“The show felt special because of their style of play and winning spirit. They’ve been consistent champions, and I’ve been impressed with their two young players, who have real talent to sign up this year.”
Yessoufou came to the United States from Benin, Africa, when he was 15 years old. During a visit to the Baylor campus, he was impressed with Drew’s training and development program. The 6-foot-5 Beninese hooper said he believes Drew will help him reach his goal of playing in the NBA.
5⭐️ Tounde Yessoufou (no. 18 ESPN 100) committed to Baylor 🐻 #SisEm@ToundeYessoufou | @BaylorMBB pic.twitter.com/xBJYYjdgD3
– SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) October 2, 2024
“I chose Scott Drew because he seems to be authentic,” he said. “Although other schools had their help, I trust my mind, and his history speaks for itself. He’s been at Baylor for over 23 years, which means a lot to me. You know what it takes to be a winner and a champion. Watching their training showed me how much he trusts his players, pushing them to reach their level.
“Their strategy is to help me grow as a player, but what stands out the most is that they believe I can have a big impact on the program with my ability to defend and score goals. I truly believe that Baylor can help me achieve my ultimate goal of making it to the NBA.”
Baylor’s backcourt rotation consists of senior starters Jeremy Roach, Jayden Nunn and freshman guard VJ Edgecombe.
According to 247Sports, Tounde Yessoufou will have a chance to impress NBA scouts while with the Bears. Two of Baylor’s first court starters, Jeremy Roach and Jayden Nunn, are seniors.
VJ Edgecombe is also a top-five pick. Drew and his staff worked through a series of one-and-done perimeter players. The current number stands at three.
Yessoufou, who currently attends Saint Joseph High School (California), is ranked No. 18 in the ESPN 100 for the class of 2025. He is the number 5 player in the country. He averaged 16.9 points and 4.7 rebounds in the Nike EYBL circuit last spring.
Additionally, the junior ranked fourth in scoring at the Nike Peach Jam in July, averaging 21.8 points and shooting nearly 39% from three-point range in five games.
While Yessoufou is Baylor’s first commitment in the 2025 class, his signing marks the fifth straight stretch in which the Bears have landed a five-star prospect.
Edgecombe (No. 3 in 2024) committed in January, while Ja’Kobe Walter (No. 8 in 2023), Keyonte George (No. 6 in 2022) and Kendall Brown (No. 17 in 2021) they signed in the last three classes. .
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