Can Baylor Convince their Two Stars to Stay?

Cameron Carr and Tounde Yessoufou have a decision to make in the near future. Can Baylor convince either of the two stars to stay? Should either of them stay?

Mar 7, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears guard Cameron Carr (43) scores a layup as Utah Utes guard Terrence Brown (2) defends during the first half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Player retention is the new buzz phrase across college basketball, and that is especially true in Waco, Texas, where the Baylor Bears are coming off their worst season in nearly a decade.

With the offseason beginning in earnest, Scott Drew is likely getting to work on what his roster is set to look like for the 2026-27 season.

The two biggest dominoes for the offseason are Baylor’s two biggest stars, Cameron Carr and Tounde Yessoufou.

Both players looked like they were locked to be on the fringe of the lottery, if not taken in the lottery at mid season.

As the season has gone on, however, they have lost some buzz. In a recent mock draft, both players were picked after the 20th pick, with Yessoufou being taken with the final pick of the first round.

The question now that emerges is, should both Baylor stars spend another year on campus to try and raise their draft stock?

Cameron Carr

Carr was one of the stars from the transfer portal this offseason, and grew into the team’s leading scorer as the season went on. Carr is a gifted athlete, at 6-foot-5, 175 pounds, he’s athletic enough to stay in front of most front court players.

He finished the season averaging 19.2 points-per-game on 51 percent shooting from the field. Carr was a solid defender during the season as well, especially around the rim with 1.3 blocks-per-game.

Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Questions have emerged about Carr’s ability to play in the biggest games. Carr was too passive during some of the biggest moments in the biggest games.

Carr could have a solid workout and make himself a lottery pick, but unfortunately is out of games that matter to try and boost his draft stock.

With a deep draft class, it’s possible that Carr could see an opportunity to return to campus and raise his draft stock in a draft class that is not expected to be as deep in 2027 as it is this summer.

Tounde Yessoufou

Yessoufou, like Carr, had some really high moments during the season, but they were met with some inconsistency.

The question surrounding his game is whether he’s too invested in playing bully ball to make up for an inconsistent jump shot.

In a league that is emphasizing pace and space more than ever, an inconsistent jump shot earns you a seat on the bench more often than not. He shot 46.9 percent from the floor, but just 30.2 percent from the three point line.

It’s possible that Yessoufou could be enticed with an NIL package to stay on campus and work on his jump shot in his second season. That could also affect his legacy as a college player if that is something that is important to him.

Does he really want to be known as a player who missed the NCAA Tournament in his only season on campus?

Only he knows the answer to that question.

What Will Happen?

The highest likelihood for any player who has a chance to get drafted is that he leaves college for the professional game.

While their stock has fallen in recent weeks, Carr and Yessoufou are still both consistently mocked in the first round of the NBA Draft.

Realistically, getting picked at the end of the first round could set them up for better situations in their rookie seasons. In the era of load management and teams not always putting their best foot forward on a night to night basis, that means both of these men are not destined to just be glued to the bench.

Look for both players to declare for the NBA Draft.