What St. John 's Basketball Needs From Tounde Yessoufou This Year

With the start of the college basketball season just over a month away now, the St. John’s Red Storm are hopeful to take another step forward.

Since Rick Pitino has come to the program, the Red Storm have been able to improve each year. In his three seasons with St. John’s, Pitino has been able to make the NCAA Tournament in two of those three years, with the first year with the program being the only one that didn't make the tournament. However, the case can certainly be made that they should have.

This offseason, the team added a lot of new talent, and this roster could be the best one that Pitino has had with the Red Storm. However, whether or not some of these players will be eligible is a major question mark.

St. John’s has numerous key players that might not be able to play and that will not only hurt the depth of the roster, but also limit their upside. However, one player that the team knows will be eligible is Tounde Yessoufou, and the sky is the limit for his potential.

What St. John’s Needs from Yessoufou

Mar 7, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears guard Tounde Yessoufou (24) dunks the ball ahead of Utah Utes guard Obomate Abbey (21) during the second half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As arguably one of the biggest prizes in the transfer portal and the biggest addition for St. John’s this offseason, the program will be relying on Yessoufou to be a star.

As a freshman with the Baylor Bears, what Yessoufou was able to accomplish in the Big 12 was very impressive, especially considering some of the high-end talent in what was one of the best conferences in basketball.

Last year, Yessoufou averaged 17.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game. On both ends of the court, the talented wing is an impact player. For Pitino, playing good defense is always key, and Yessoufou can bring it on that end of the court.

However, as a player that could end up being the best in the conference, it’s what Yessoufou could bring offensively that makes him great. After averaging just under 18 points per game as a freshman, his being over 20 points per game is a strong possibility this coming year.

Especially if some of the key players are ruled ineligible, the Red Storm are going to need Yessoufou to be a star. Following that special freshman campaign, Yessoufou could end up being one of the best players in the country, and St. John’s might need him to be.

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