Baylor freshman named one-and-done candidate
The Baylor Bears are expected to have one of the best Men's Basketball teams in the country this season. Last year, they earned a 9-seed in the NCAA Tournament and knocked off the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the Round of 64, but fell to the Duke Blue Devils in the Round of 32. This year, they're looking to get even further into the NCAA Tournament, and in order to do so, they'll need the help of their star freshman, Tounde Yessoufou.
Yessoufou, a five-star who ranks as the No. 14 overall player in the 2025 class, is set to make his collegiate debut with the Bears later this year. He's 6-foot-6, 210 pounds, and is an incredible athlete. He's the star Baylor needs to take their program to the next level, but there's a chance he's only around for one year.
With NIL and the transfer portal becoming such a big thing in college sports, we're seeing more players than ever spend four (or more) years in college. However, that doesn't mean the one-and-done era is over. In fact, last year, 17 of the 30 first round picks in the NBA Draft played just one year of college ball.
Earlier this week, On3 released their tier list of players who could go one-and-done this year, and Yessoufou was listed under the "probably" tier.
Yessoufou finished his high school career with 3,659 career points. He's the all-time leading scorer in California high school basketball history, and he should easily crack the Bears' starting lineup as a true freshman. He has room to develop as a shooter, but he's elite at pretty much everything else.
Here's 247's Adam Finkelstein's scouting report on Yessoufou:
Yessoufou is a physical specimen. He’s long, strong, and athletic with a chiseled frame. He’s also a relentless competitor who plays with a constantly high motor. He’s one of the most consistently productive players in the class, not just because his physical tools can be overwhelming, but because he’s continued to develop his skill-set, and diversify his attack.
Initially, Yessoufou did his damage from the mid-range and in. He made his living in the mid-post, bullying defenders with straight line-drives, getting to short pull-ups, and with his power and bounce as a finisher. More recently, we’ve seen his game extend away from the basket. He’s more capable of making open rhythm threes and ranked in the 85th percentile in shooting off the dribble during EYBL play. He has developed good footwork, learned how to initiate contact to create space for short pull-ups, and utilized a quick second bounce at the rim.
Still though, there is plenty of room for future development. His handle remains a work in progress and his overall touch sometimes a bit harder. While his shooting percentages are very high (50% FG & 80% FT), he will need to learn to get to his spots more efficiently. He wants to score on every touch and can have a tendency to stop the ball from moving and force tough shots at times.
The Bears have themselves a star, but they need to make sure they get the most out of him while he's in town, because it may not be for very long.
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Luke is a writer for the Baylor Bears On SI. He's an LSU graduate and previously covered the Tigers for two years. He also covers the New Orleans Saints and Formula 1. Luke's passion for sports and storytelling led him to become a sports writer.