2025 Recruiting: Tounde Yessoufou

[RuffRuff]

Is he a 2, 3, ? How tall?

Very active, twitchy and athletic 3-4, amazing defender, great motor, lacks shooting. Think Ajax with a better shot.

 

[AllHusky]

Obvious athleticism, in AJax league! Awesome.

 

[auror]

In terms of players we are mentioned most with and we seem to be putting most time in with:

First Tier

Lewis
Thomas
Mullins
Adams
Yessofou
Reibe
Bundalo

Second Tier

Ament
Greer

These two could uptick based on how tier one lands.

The list kind of stops there, even as it comes to some more local kids like Aristide and Jemison. I’ve heard a little on Cenac and Burries but hard pressed to think we’ve done enough there for them to pivot off some of the early courters.

So really 9 kids or so, of which target should be 3.

We're definitely recruiting Ament harder than that, but he's keeping his recruitment quiet and slow. We watched basically all of his stuff in July.

The problem is that he may have played his way into us not being able to afford him.

 

[husky429]

Very active, twitchy and athletic 3-4, amazing defender, great motor, lacks shooting. Think Ajax with a better shot.

And 1/10th the passing ability.

 

[superjohn]

And 1/10th the passing ability.

Andre is a weird one. Unbelievable athleticism and passing, not a lick of scoring ability.

 

[RuffRuff]

Looks like we’re out here. Article goes on to state visit is cancelled and he’s focusing on Baylor and AZSt and the other Hurley. Not sure we ever put in too much energy with this kid. With Ament not scheduling and Greer going Creighton, our list seems pretty small about now. Would seem staff seems very confident in some of the others, which is really a list of only about 6 now (Lewis, Mullins, Thomas, Bundalo, Reibe, Adams).

 

[awy]

kind of want them to find some less exposed but uber athletic guys. maybe international will be source of that. the intrigue with guys like tounde is that they have the athletic and movement ability to be high impact guys if allowed to cook in the hurley lab for a couple years, but if they are too exposed they'll be expensive and think about OAD too much.

ok this whole post is just another way of saying give me more isaiah abrahams.

 

[husky429]

kind of want them to find some less exposed but uber athletic guys. maybe international will be source of that. the intrigue with guys like tounde is that they have the athletic and movement ability to be high impact guys if allowed to cook in the hurley lab for a couple years, but if they are too exposed they'll be expensive and think about OAD too much.

ok this whole post is just another way of saying give me more isaiah abrahams.

I doubt we get in on anyone new at this stage unless there's a late decommit. We're clearly shooting pretty high with recruiting this summer/fall, and for good reason.

Those holes are better filled with proven transfers at this point IMO unless there's a really solid culture building guy like Abraham (or Springs, Singare, etc.). There may just not have been the right mental fit in that 75-150 range this year for us to pursue.

 

[RuffRuff]

kind of want them to find some less exposed but uber athletic guys. maybe international will be source of that. the intrigue with guys like tounde is that they have the athletic and movement ability to be high impact guys if allowed to cook in the hurley lab for a couple years, but if they are too exposed they'll be expensive and think about OAD too much.

ok this whole post is just another way of saying give me more isaiah abrahams.

Yes but with Abraham we were in early on him, not in with a lot of 50-100 types this year as these 6 are all generally top 30. There must be a backup plan there, but seems like with a lot of these kids if you aren’t spending the time and in early, they see through that.

DH is consistent with his targeted approach - they identify the players that fit and don’t water down their pool or take chances. Or look to overstretch NIL to take away from current/returning group. Hoping one guard and one big, minimum.

 

[bendm]

UK's new coach has two top 25 commits already and the back-to-back defending champs have none. UK is also a finalist for Lewis and Mullins and Yessoufou. smh.

 

[superjohn]

We never showed interest in recruiting him so not going to start a thread on him. Happy for the local product, those are three great basketball schools who fork over NIL.

 

[Fan1978]

Abraham is a 4 year guy, let’s have reasonable expectations for him this year. The team is very deep and seeing the floor will be challenging. Need to focus on the high end guys after consecutive championships. If you can’t get top guys this year then when? I guess it gets easier if you win 3 in a row. I trust 2-3 of the big dogs commit.

 

[AntG168]

UK's new coach has two top 25 commits already and the back-to-back defending champs have none. UK is also a finalist for Lewis and Mullins and Yessoufou. smh.

UK has nothing but minutes and money available. We are being more selective because we have to be. We’ll get our guys

 

[navery12]

Luckily recruiting isn't a race and championships aren't handed out for having recruits commit to you first

 

[RuffRuff]

UK has nothing but minutes and money available. We are being more selective because we have to be. We’ll get our guys

Exactly and the two kids they picked up are in state, and they apparently paid out the wazoo for one.

UK is thought to be out on Mullins and Yessofou (canx visit), coming in late on Lewis. Don’t see them landing any. They do have some chance with Wilson and Cenac. Lots of minutes and lots of NIL, and still UK. I wouldn’t anoint Pope the new Cal just yet.

Duke, Kansas and UNC hasn’t signed anyone yet either.

 

[husky429]

Luckily recruiting isn't a race and championships aren't handed out for having recruits commit to you first

50% of recruiting is transfers. 13 of the top 50 hs recruits are committed. Someone do the math for me... Suffice to say, we aren't close to done.

 

[AllHusky]

Bummer on Tounde, seemed like he'd have been a fun one in our program. No concerns that we'll get the guys we need, just liked him.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Yeah, he may have been my #1 want, but never seemed super interested so not too let down.

 

[auror]

UK's new coach has two top 25 commits already and the back-to-back defending champs have none. UK is also a finalist for Lewis and Mullins and Yessoufou. smh.

They had 2 local ~5 stars that they threw the brinks truck at. Word is 1.2 mil for Jasper.

 

[HooperScooper]

Looks like we’re out here. Article goes on to state visit is cancelled and he’s focusing on Baylor and AZSt and the other Hurley. Not sure we ever put in too much energy with this kid. With Ament not scheduling and Greer going Creighton, our list seems pretty small about now. Would seem staff seems very confident in some of the others, which is really a list of only about 6 now (Lewis, Mullins, Thomas, Bundalo, Reibe, Adams).

Tounde Yessoufou, one of the top prospects in the 2025 class, has canceled his upcoming visits to Kentucky, Kansas, and UConn, he told On3.

Moving forward, the 6-foot-5 small forward out of St. Joseph High (CA) says he will now focus his attention on Arizona State, Baylor, and USC.

Top-15 recruit Tounde Yessoufou cancels visits to Kentucky, Kansas, UConn & focuses attention on 3 schools

Tounde Yessoufou will no longer visit Kentucky, Kansas, and UConn. He is down to Baylor, Arizona State, and USC.

www.on3.com

 

[FlippinCrazy!]

UK's new coach has two top 25 commits already and the back-to-back defending champs have none. UK is also a finalist for Lewis and Mullins and Yessoufou. smh.

They also have gone after absolutely everyone with a first to commit approach. Hurley identifies guys that truly fit the system.

 

[alexd]

So Yessoufou dropped the three blue bloods from his list.

 

[husky99]

So Yessoufou dropped the three blue bloods from his list.

Sounds like he wants more west coast schools. Yes Baylor is not west coast

 

[husky429]

So Yessoufou dropped the three blue bloods from his list.

As much as I like the kid's game, that probably speaks more than any game tape we could look at. He's asking for too much, they don't think he'll be as versatile at the next level... something.