By ADAM ZAGORIA
Baylor transfer Tounde Yessoufou has withdrawn from the NBA Draft and committed to St. John’s, he announced.
Yessoufou’s NIL package was close to $6 million, per sources.
“Red Storm nation….Let’s go to work,” he posted on Instagram.
“We have just about finished a roster with the signing of a special young man in Tounde Yessoufou,” said head coach Rick Pitino. “His work ethic is like Zuby [Ejiofor’s] and his humility reminds me of Sadiku [Ibine Ayo]. He’s a special talent and we’re excited to have him in a Johnnies uniform.”
The 6-foot-5 wing from Benin averaged 17.8 points and 5.9 rebounds as a freshman at Baylor while shooting 47% from the field and 29% from deep.
“Tounde has made a wise decision,” ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla told ZAGSBLOG. “He is a power wing at the college level who will need to transition to the back court in the NBA. His energy and athleticism are high level and Rick Pitino will coach the rest out of him.”
He initially chose the Bears over USC and Arizona State in 2024.
St. John’s has one scholarship remaining but is no longer in the mix for Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic, who is considering Kentucky, Louisville and Arizona after pulling out of the Draft.
“Super excited for the addition of Tounde,” Pitino Tweeted. “We will add one more scholarship player in the next 24 hours and are roster will be complete. Couldn’t be more fired up for this upcoming season!”
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