Tounde Yessoufou, 5-star California basketball prospect, commits to Baylor

Baylor picks up a Top 15 prospect from California in 6-foot-6 wing Tounde Yessoufou.

St. Joseph's Tounde Yessoufou (24) dunks the ball during the first round of the Capitol City Classic at Willamette University on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, in Salem, Ore. / Kevin Neri/Statesman Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

One of the nation’s top high school basketball prospects has chosen his collegiate home.

Tounde Yessoufou, a 5-star small forward, from Santa Maria St. Joseph in Central California committed to Baylor Wednesday afternoon.

"When I went on my visit, (Baylor) felt like a brotherhood immediately," Yessoufou said on the 247Sports live stream via Youtube. "I felt like something was right and it was home."

Yessoufou’s final three choices included USC, Baylor and Arizona State.

Yessoufou is listed at 6-foot-6, 215 pounds and has a ‘manchild’ style to his game — combining strength, athleticism and soft touch (when needed). Last season, he scored the game-winning basket in the opening round of the CIF State Open Division playoffs to down prominent power Sierra Canyon on the road.

BREAKDOWN: The last drama-filled 8.5 seconds of St. Joseph's 69-68 win over Sierra Canyon explained.

Sierra Canyon sees clock hit zeros twice (!). Officials correctly put time back on clock. Tounde Yessoufou hits the game-winner.

📲: https://t.co/m7tjvimvdd pic.twitter.com/dXzIISPO5W

— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) February 29, 2024

According to 247Sports’ composite rankings, Yessoufou is ranked the No. 15 best prospect in the country and No. 3 in California. Yessoufou averaged 32 points and 10 rebounds as a junior en route to St. Joseph’s 31-4 record for the 2023-24 season.

St. Joseph will play in the 2025 Spalding Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. in January, where it will take on Holy Innocents (GA) on ESPN2/ESPNU on Saturday, January 18.

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