Mitch Stephens: Tounde Yessoufou's unique path, drive for mom, family vaults him to top of California's perch

St. Joseph senior, West African native and Baylor-bound star uses Kobe Bryant's Mamba Mentality, Russell Westbrook's relentlessness to break DeMarcus Nelson's state record for career scoring

Tounde Yessoufou stands alone among all his teammates Saturday after breaking the California High School career scoring record for St. Joseph High School in Santa Maria. / Photo: Mitch Stephens

SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA — Tounde Yessoufou, a bright, shimmering light with a twinkle in his eye and a passion in his heart, came to the United States as a 15-year-old from the West African nation of Benin. He spoke only French and his first love was soccer. 

On Saturday, in front of a robust, warm and appreciative home crowd at jammed and cozy St. Joseph High School, the chiseled 6-foot-6, 210-pound senior broke the California prep career scoring record with a relentless, lightning quick, high-flying act very much resembling the young versions of the three NBA players he’s often compared to — Jimmy Butler, Russell Westbrook and his athletic idol, Kobe Bryant. 

When he scored his record-breaking basket on a strong driving layup to his right while being fouled, he was mobbed and embraced by teammates, coaches and host family members. 

Tounde Yessoufou gives one last acknowledgement to crowd after he scored 30 points to break the California High School career scoring record Saturday at St. Joseph of Santa Maria High School. Following video tribute and speech from Yessoufou who now has 3,467 points to surpass Demarcus Nelson's 3,462. The class Nelson sent a video congratulations message to Yessoufou as well. / Photo: Mitch Stephens

His 30-point performance (he needed 26 to break the record) came in another blowout win, 93-62, for the Knights over Weston Ranch of Stockton to improve the record of the state’s No. 3 team to 25-1. 

Afterward his new community and St. Joseph family showered him with gifts — a pair of custom Kobe Bryant shoes with the 3,463 career-point total printed on the side — a touching video tribute, and general love and adoration. 

• LIVE UPDATE RECAP | Tounde Yessoufou breaks state mark

They also handed him a microphone and the lad who spoke no English four years earlier, articulated his most important message — not only to the crowd but later in a press conference — with heart, clarity and generosity that makes  him so beloved. 

“This is a team award,” he said with a thick, beautiful Benin accent. “When you play basketball you don’t play by yourself. You play with five people and today it felt like there were all 20 of us. I feel like that award I give to all of us because we shared some bad moments, we share good moments, but at the end of the day we all battle together. 

“Yes, it’s my name on the record, but I feel like it’s for all of us.” 

'A better life'

It’s easy to root for a kid like Yessoufou, who is bound for Baylor University in Waco Texas after graduation. Ranked the No. 14 senior in the country by 247Sports, many project him to be a one-and-done prospect and 2026 NBA draft pick.

Naysayers say he’s overpowered less physically-gifted prep players, something he won’t be able to do in college and certainly the pros. But the ace in Yessoufou’s arsenal isn’t displayed on the court, weight room or study sessions. 

• CALM BEFORE THE RECORD | Tounde Yessoufou treats Atascadero

It’s a drive that catapulted to Saturday’s record-breaking moment, to the very top of the leaderboard in a state that has produced many of NBA’s greatest players, past and present: Bill Russell, Jason Kidd, Reggie Miller, Gary Payton, James Harden, Westbrook, Kawhi Leonard and Damian Lillard.    

Tounde Yessoufou addresses his home St. Joseph High School crowd after breaking the California record for career boys basketball points in a 93-62 win over Weston Ranch. Yessoufou had 30 points to push his career total to 3,467 points. / Photo: Mitch Stephens

It’s a path few, if any, have taken and a motivation that fuels some of the greatest. 

“I was excited (to come to America),” he said. “I always believed in God and I wanted to come to the United States for a better life for me and my family. I believe I would never break a record, but I knew deep down in my heart I will fight for anything I can do to be able to provide for my family and myself and a better life for my mom for sure.” 

The Rock

He said he though of his mother Bertrande Idingni most of the day. She is still in Benin with Yessoufou’s stepfather and six older step brothers. 

“I called her before the game telling her to pray for me,” he said. “She has always been my rock since day one. She’s been sacrificing for me, supporting me through everything.” 

Though she didn’t want him to play basketball. She wanted him to instead focus 100% on academics. 

St. Joseph senior Tounde Yessoufou enjoys a video tribute after he broke the California state record for most points in a boys basketball career Saturday, 2-1-2025. / Photo: Mitch Stephens

“I had to talk to my stepfather to talk to my mother,” Yessoufou said. “She always listens to my stepdad. I promised my mom I would get a degree. At the same time she let me play the game I love.” 

His life could have been derailed by the death of his real father by heart attack at the age of 10, or the passing of Bryant just before he arrived at St. Joseph, which has had a long line of foreign exchange student-athletes over the past decade. 

“All the posters I own are of Kobe Bryant,” he said. “I want to have his mentality. His mindset. His approach to the game is so different and that’s how I want to be. I want to play like him. 

“I couldn’t believe it (when Bryant died). I was like there is no way. It was a sad moment for everybody in the world.” 

Worldly possibilities

St. Joseph coach Tom Mott, with more than 500 wins in his career, said he recognizes the Mamba Mentality in Yessoufou. It shows for instance in the 47 three-pointers he’s made this season (he had two on Saturday), something that wasn’t in his arsenal his first two seasons. 

“He is extremely driven,” Mott said. “He’s so focused on what he wants to do. No matter what, he’s going to outwork you. For a high school kid to be as prepared as he is. … he’s just different than most kids.

The custom Kobe Bryant shoes with the record-breaking total of 3,463 printed on the side were presented by his St. Joseph teammates to Tounde Yessoufou after breaking the California state record for most career points. / Photo: Mitch Stephens

“As a freshman, 90 percent of his points came from the key. Now it’s about 30 percent. He’s always going to be successful at every level because of how hard he works.” 

Yessoufou said it wouldn’t have progressed so fast — without a coaching staff that gives him the freedom to be himself. 

“They gave me trust immediately,” he said. “And when you do that, you build confidence in a player. You feel like you can do anything in the world and it makes you want to rebound for them, fight for them, dive on a loose ball for them.” 

And set a highly coveted state record for them. 

According to numbers tracked on MaxPreps, Yessoufou has scored 3,467 points in 120 games, topping the mark of now No. 2 DeMarcus Nelson, of Vallejo and Sheldon-Sacramento, at 3,462 points in 130 games from 2001-04. Those numbers were tracked by CalHiSports. 

St. Joseph-Santa Maria senior Tounde Yessoufou about to send up a pretty floater right before the end of the first half of his team's 67-62 win over Modesto Christian at the 2025 De La Salle MLK Classic in Concord, Calif. Yessoufou, a Baylor commit, had 25 points and 12 rebounds. / Photo: Lizeth Lafferty

Nelson, a 6-3 guard with similar skills, played four years at Duke before a long professional career overseas. He sent a classy, congratulatory video recording to Yessoufou as well. 

“It was a great sign of respect,” Yessoufou said. “Seeing him, one of the greatest to do it 20 years ago, congratulating me means a lot.” 

Love abound

There’s a strong possibility Yessoufou’s record will stand less than a season. Inglewood junior Jason Crowe Jr., previously of Lynwood and now of Inglewood, is already at 3,162 points, according to CalHiSports, which sits 10th all-time. 

Yessoufou and Crowe Jr. have played on the same AAU team. 

“That is my brother,” Yessoufou said of Crowe Jr. 

Today, his basketball brothers are the St. Joseph team that have won 14 straight and outscored opponents 2,175 to 1,465. 

Tounde Yessoufou had 23 points and eight rebounds leading St. Joseph to a 76-67 win over Salesian at the Crush in the Valley Showcase 1-25-25 / Photo: Greg Jungferman

Co-captain and junior guard Gunner Morinini, who presented Yessoufou with the custom Kobe shoes, said Saturday was a magical day “because Tounde doesn’t make it all about himself. It’s about all of us. He shows his love to everyone.” 

Morinini says as great as the celebration was, he, Yessoufou and the Knights are ready to make a final push to the school’s first state boys basketball title. 

The challenge is steep, considering the massive talent base in the state, with at least six teams that have been nationally ranked in the Top 25. Though Yessoufou is sure the lynchpin, St. Joseph has loads of other talent and moving parts, including top junior prospect Julius Price (19.2 ppg), his sophomore brother Malcolm (11.6), Morinini (9.6), 6-7 Matas Siskauskas. 

“I feel in my bones we’re about to win this whole thing,” Yessoufou said. “I’m a big believer when I feel something that it will happen. This year is about to be our year.”